Half a Marvel
by rageycat
Summary: A simple change in things for Ranma Saotome will lead him into a new world far outside of his old one. During the wedding disaster he manages to "cure" himself with the cask of spring of drowned boy, only it cured him of more then one affliction.
1. Prologue: War Journal

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

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**Prologue**

War journal: 1 month after the Weddocalypse.

It's been years since I wrote one of these, enough blows to the head and you forget things like this. Pops probably thinks he did a good job, but ever since I managed to snag the cask of drowned boy water from Happosai and cure myself, things have been getting a lot clearer. It's all too clear, my memories are sharp as knives. I can even go back and relive them now if I focus on it. Kasumi had given me this diary and I never planned to write in it, but it just started happening and then I remembered him, Castle-sensei. He liked me to just call him Frank. He taught me all about the military as a favour to my old man, only pops didn't want it all see. He just wanted me to master those fighting techniques so he did something to me after. Looks like that secret erasing amazon shampoo ain't such a secret to pops. I know things now too like why I couldn't learn some things. Frank had already taught me English, Chinese and Italian and a ton of other stuff. A whole year of life lessons pounded into my head but since my memories were blocked I wasn't gonna be able to relearn them right. It turns out that the spring of drowned boy wasn't just a cure, it cursed me again to be a boy only the boy I would have been if pops hadn't been poking on me with all sorts of other curses and crazy shiatsu.

The lull here in Nerima after the wedding exploded is gon.. going to end soon. I need to leave before that and get through all the things I've forgotten. I need to deal with all of the things I can't forget… like the nekoken. I remember it in dreams now, those nameless terrors have faces with fangs, but I see it more clearly too. The monsters are just animals, starved .. horrible… poor animals. I cannot forget how to use the nekoken either and that has me worried. What if I do it by accident and somebody pays for it? My mom will understand I think. I am going to speak with her about this and about my plan. It's time to use the Saotome Secret Technique. I know just who to go to for help, Castle-sensei was great at instilling discipline. I'm sure he has more to teach me. Something else is botherin..g me though, I made that cask fly to me out of Happosai's reach before he could drink it all. I can see when I did it, but not exactly how. This could be the next step in my art but it feels weird somehow. Well, once I get out of here I can figure it out. Its not like I won't have time right? Well there's Akane stomping in with her best sumo style stealth to splash me with a bucket as one American army sergeant told me once, Time to face my world and my world to face me.

Ranma Saotome is Half a Marvel

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**Notes:** This is the start to an idea I have had brewing for a Ranma 1/2 crossover for a long time now. I hope to have the first real chapter out in a few days.


	2. Chapter 1: Escape from Nerima

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

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**Chapter 1: Escape from Nerima**

It was a rainy day and that was perfect as far as Ranma was concerned, he had been soaking himself to the bone any chance he got, even Kasumi had frowned and lectured him about tracking in water. Akane had finally given up splashing him, even ice-cold water made him seem to wake up with an enthusiastic cry. The little silly dance he would sometimes do chanting 'never gonna be a girl again' didn't help her mood either. Of course, there was another side to it all. No one would follow him out into the rain on purpose except Kasumi who seemed to take getting him at the dinner table like a like soldier on a mission. That meant his rivals and admirers save for the occasional quacking dive-bomber left him alone. Mousse was really upset with him, Ranma had pulled a used tennis racket out of nowhere and batted him away one day. The Blind duck cursed boy had been trying to kill him for stealing his secret techniques… oh and the racket of course. It was apparently a family heirloom or something. Personally, Ranma just thought Mousse had finally lost the last thread holding him to sanity.

Today was the day to begin his plan of escape. Ranma had developed several techniques to aid him, most of them had gotten him beaten or attacked when he failed to acquire his training gear with stealth. He was prepared now. The most rigorous task lay before him, pretending not to notice as Kasumi approached he practiced a basic kata. Kasumi cleared her throat politely and he remained oblivious before she finally spoke up, "Ranma, I know your martial arts are important but you can't be so late." He slipped and fell on the slick grass before turning around and smiling widely, "Sorry Kasumi I just sorta got distracted ya know?" His smile disappeared when she gave a mild frown, "Ranma, may we go?" "uh yeah sure.. sorry again. I'll make sure it doesn't happen n'ymore kay?" He wasn't even sure why she bothered suddenly to make everyone wait for him. Her smile made him happy and sickened at the same time. After tonight, he wouldn't be late but he wouldn't be around anymore either.

He had toweled himself off and sat at the table, Akane giving him the customary elbow in the ribs greeting as she hissed quietly, "What's wrong with you, making us all wait for dinner." The others nodded or grunted in agreement, Nabiki threw in, "Saotome, you owe me for this. I have just the thing too." Nabiki flashed a camera and a silk speedo with a wink. Ranma was supposed to duck his head fearfully and mumble about it not being his fault, but he found himself speaking heatedly instead, "Kasumi is the one who makes everyone wait, and I'm not wearing that thing for you to take pictures of me." "Times are tough Saotome, you made a lot of messes and you are going to clean them up, that means money so behave like a good boy." "Most of the problems around here have been your fault lately. why don't I take the pictures and you pose!" Nabiki smiled like a Cheshire cat as Akane had heard enough to finally lose her temper, "RANNNMMA with my sister no less…" Not normally given over to halting herself, but seeing Kasumi in a fairly formal Kimono had made her pause.

Kasumi's smile dimmed as she looked around and then began quietly setting the table. Ranma's mind began racing, he didn't know what it was but something was seriously wrong with Kasumi, something about today. The image of a of a woman in a hospital bed came to him, not sure what was going on, he recognized her though. He had seen her image before, on the shrine in the Dojo. Nabiki's eyes widened and she suddenly excused herself. She fled to her room and came back formally dressed as well with her head down. Ranma did likewise after a moment not sure how he knew, but he knew today was the anniversary of the day the Tendou girls' mother had died. The others seemed oblivious though seeing Ranma going to change had made them not wish to be outdone either. It was a very somber dinner and Ranma ate only a little he just hadn't the heart for food. That didn't stop Genma from eating as much as he could but even he was careful about his usual antics of stealing from Ranma. Besides, the boy had hardly anything on his plate anyways.

After dinner, Ranma and Akane trying to copy him helped Kasumi clear away the dishes. Akane escaped quickly upstairs saying something about homework. Ranma moved over and began to help Kasumi with the dishes quietly but Kasumi objected, "Ranma I can do them." "I want to help." "Ranma just go play in the water somewhere else…" There was a long moment of silence and Ranma hung his head starting to walk off before a hand on his shoulder stopped him, "Ranma, I'm sorry. I just want to be alone for a while." He turned and stared into her eyes, he couldn't go through with his plan during dinner and he knew he couldn't leave things like this, thanks to his new and improved memory he would always remember her like this if he did. "Kasumi, I'm sorry… but you need to do something with yourself besides clean all day. I know your mother made you promise to look after the family, but this isn't helping them and you shouldn't be alone all your life doing the dishes. Your mother wouldn't want that, she loved you too." In the stunned silence he walked past her and quickly did the dishes with a blurring of his hands. He was just about to turn around when he was hugged bonecrushingly from behind by Kasumi. Her warm tears trickled down his neck for several minutes. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a shocked Nabiki leave, closing the kitchen door behind herself.

It had not been too long a time before she composed herself, and simply told him thank you before kissing him on the cheek. Things actually seemed normal outside of the kitchen as Ranma left to his room since he had already done the dishes before Kasumi had latched onto him. Now he was back in his room, weeks of planning ruined. Genma snored loudly on his side of the room and Ranma just couldn't force himself to sleep. He had to get out tonight. He couldn't wait another day to spring his plan. After all, he could not be at the Furikan High School tomorrow if it was all going to work. The barber trained monkeys, the animated giant watermelons and Crossdresser league were going to be bad enough, but the animal balloons and tuning forks didn't even bear thinking about.

Using all of his finely honed reflexes, ancient ninja creeping techniques and his father's own forbidden technique of invisibility, the thief's cloak, Ranma slipped a note under Kasumi's door and promptly fell over in shock and out of his thief's cloak and would have screamed like a little girl had not Kasumi covered his mouth. So intent was he that he forgot to look behind him or hide the note he was slipping under her door. Kasumi had gone to the kitchen for a glass of water it seemed. As he calmed down, He was surprised to find her guiding him into her room. She picked up his note and then looked questioningly at him, he tried to speak once or twice before bowing his head. He waited there for what seemed an eternity as if he could feel her reading the letter forming each word in her mind and moment waiting for her eyes to turn on him in disapproval or even to yell at him. From anyone else these things might have been just irritating but somehow even her merest frown was more frightening then a thousand crazed phoenix gods.

The hug completely shocked him though and he realizing there was a proper method to these things at least if he wanted to keep from upsetting Kasumi, hugged her back. After a moment, she paused and looked into his eyes, "You mean all of this?" "errr yeah I can't stay here no more, Akane an me, we've got our problems I guess and we doan work. Maybe with some time but I doubt it… I meant it all too, yur a great friend." Kasumi suddenly leaned in and kissed him on the lips, then laughed at his wide eyed shock, "You can go but, you have to come back Ranma. You have to settle things with Akane." "I promise." "Then you need to settle things with me." He gulped and nodded quickly, "I won't let you down Kasumi, on my honour." "Then Ranma, I promise you I will be more then I am when you come back too. Write me?" He nodded again, not knowing what to do exactly, he hugged her.

An hour later, the house was rocked by ki charged firecrackers the size of a fist. Suddenly Kasumi was calling out in distress and everyone was up. In her nightgown standing at her room's entry she seemed in shock. Her sisters couldn't get anything out of her but Akane rampaged, guessing Happosai had done something to her sweet sister. Downstairs Ranma faced the evil old master of their school it seemed, dodging explosions before being hit and knocked into a wall. Soun took up the charge upon seeing his oldest girl's condition and dragged Genma with him out into the night after the culprit, both stopping as they realized they were chasing their terrifying master only to start running again as Akane came charging. Neither of them wanted to face her wrath for leaving the master to go free. Ranma got up and as Kasumi calmed down he waved to her and Nabiki before leaping into the night. He had made his escape. Not how he planned, but the fools would follow his fake Happosai double for a few hours before it vanished and it would take them even longer to realize he wasn't coming back.

As he slipped onto the airport's runways, his thoughts went back to Kasumi. Ranma told her his entire plan for that night: to make his fake Happosai steal Nabiki and Akane's underwear at dinner, then throw a few mostly harmless fire crackers around so that everyone would give chase, and then he could slip away while everyone was distracted. He blushed faintly, Kasumi's brazier and panties were still in the top of his pack, who knew she would make him demonstrate that technique on her.

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**Notes:** hmm, I'm not sure what to put here really, this is shorter then what i would like to do. but it seems to finish just properly. Thanks to those who sent me reviews.

just a quick bit on Ranma, the horizon may seem clear but it always does just before the thunderstorms hit him. I don't plan to take away all of his flaws and really what fun would that be. There will be moments when he is going to be OC but then again it also seems a bit off to have him act the same as he does in canon under different circumstances. I'm hoping to keep the character there and add to the scenery.


	3. Chapter 2: Welcome to NYC!

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

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**Chapter 2: Welcome to NYC?!**

Teeth chattering, Ranma was overjoyed when the plane finally landed. He had never expected it to be so very cold in the baggage compartment, nor the odd disconnection he felt as the ground left the range of his senses. He relaxed himself as the sudden heat of the outside washed over him and slipped by the two baggage handlers, just letting the conveyer take him with the luggage. It was a trick that had served him and his father before on trains, yet he did not take into account the increased security measures of an airport. Alarms sounded as he passed through an enclosed area that had made his skin tingle and then he heard the dogs coming. Dogs were never a good thing in these situations. People you could deceive, but dogs followed their noses. Ranma dashed down the conveyer and right out into the airport. Looking around with wide eyes, he met equally wide-eyed travelers muted for the moment. That would not last long so he had to do something to get by before security caught up. Ranma raised his pack in the air exclaiming, "I found it!" Putting on a big smile, he hopped off the luggage conveyer, trying to act as if he was having a normal conversation, "Yeah I always heard ya could lose yur stuff when ya take… Look out! Is Gojira!" The people turned to see a heavyset security officer pushing his way to them only to notice a moment later that the young pigtailed man was gone.

Ranma caught his breath several miles away from the airport. Getting his bearings, he leapt onto the back of a semi trailer. He was pretty certain that it was going in the right direction, and a little air on such a nice sunny day in the country side was just the thing to relax. That bothered him though. He was supposed to be in Queens or very near it and things should be urban, much more urban. Passing a sign that said welcome to Atlanta had him really nervous, he wasn't sure but that seemed like a legendary Island that had sunk. It was the usual story really; after his father heard about it being filled with treasures, he had started training Ranma to hold his breath by tying him to large boulders and throwing them in the bay. Ranma was sure his pop would be disappointed that this lost atlanta mostly seemed full of Americans, not gold, though the fast food places looked good. Of course, so did the squirrels in the trees just now. Spotting a park and with night approaching he decided he would rely on what he had and look into better provisioning tomorrow. Sleeping had after all been nearly impossible on the plane and he was exhausted. He found luck was with him as he set his camp up in the bushes. Several squirrels came right up to him as he ate some crackers and so Ranma went to sleep with a much fuller belly then he expected as well as breakfast waiting for him in the morning.

Well past midnight, he was awakened to the sounds of fear. Peeking over the bushes hiding his camp he saw a pair of large men hovering over a woman not far away. The larger of the two had a knife out and was missing some teeth, while the other had beady eyes and features that made him seem like a rodent. Beady eyes sneered, "Well, looks like we found us a honeypot Mac." Mac smiled widely showing off a dentists nightmare, "Yeah looks like, you gonna play all nice with us girl, we might even go easy on ya." Beady eyes pinned the woman to the ground as Mac twisted his knife in the air, kneeling over their frightened victim as she pleaded with them, "L-look just.. take my money and let me go..." The beady eyed man sneered at her leaning in close, "We'll take it and everything else we want right mac.. mac?" Snores were his only answer as Mac fell over to his side dead asleep. Behind him, half in the moonlight, stood ranma cracking his knuckles with a cheerful expression. "Now then, I think someone is going to learn all about manners huh, ratface?"

It turned out that the lost city of Atlanta, Georgia was filled with treasures. Ranma's new friend, Desiree Washington had, after he helped her up, taken him in when she realized he was staying in the park. Desiree was a beautiful college student with deep brown skin and chocolate eyes, wearing her hair in a loose ponytail. She had snuck him into her dorm room for the night and now was treating him to American pizza, at a buffet no less. "How can you eat like that Ranma," Desiree asked him clearly in shock at the whole pans that had been so quickly emptied and set to the side of him. Ranma looked a bit sheepish, even more so when he realized the entire restaurant was staring, "Oh well you know, Lots of exercise, lots of food right?" Desiree quietly responded as one of the employees looked to another who just shook their head, "Well slow down we don't have to go anywhere." "Right..uh sorry, I don't get pizza often." "It looked like you don't get anything that often." "It was a long ride." "You're just lucky you didn't get stopped being on the wrong flight and all hun. There was an incident at the airport yesterday, something about terrorists. " "yeah lucky, heh. But still you said New York was a long ways away. I guess I can walk. I walked through china after all." "That would take.. well forever. I think I can find you a faster way if you're sure you want to go?" Ranma squirmed a little at the look she gave him before answering, "Yeah.. yeah! I really need to see my friend and I couldn't let him down." "Well I know someone going to New York, but…" "Would they let me come along?" "Oh I'm sure they would say it was the right thing to do." "Great!" "Well let me talk to my friend about it. They'll at least give you room, but you should know they are leaving in about a week." "That sounds good." "Maybe we could spend some more time together if you things work out too?" Warnings were going off in his head by this point, but Ranma wasn't sure just what to say or do to get away politely, "Su-sure."

The days had gone by fast. It turned out Desiree's friend had been part of a gospel choir going to a competition in New York. It wasn't much but he had a place to sleep at night, helping out with odd jobs around the church to repay their kindness. Desiree had dragged him all over the place for most of each day, even to her classes. Ranma had never really been interested in highschool, not what Furikan had to teach at least. College was little different, but he found himself being drawn into it. Asleep or awake he remembered the lectures and by the time the week was ending he found the stability of it all had allowed him to make sense of what was being taught. Desiree had hinted he should really be looking into college now since she had realized he could repeat the lectures word for word, even his intonations matching the professors'. Ranma thought it was also so that he might stick around, which was nice of her, but he needed to get better control of himself. Whatever had happened to him, was getting worse. A cat had surprised him and as usual he shrunk back in fear. The dangerous and unusual part was that his hand also lashed out on instinct, leaving gouges in the wall he had been standing by. It had been a tearful goodbye from Desiree who had made him promise to write to her. She had hugged him and then much to his embarrassed surprise, kissed him. Really though, Ranma didn't mind that so much, it was more that she had hugged and kissed him in front of a bus filled with nuns who were giving him a ride all the way to New York.

At first there had been tension, Ranma had felt like divine judgment was upon him and he kept himself sitting straight and as stiff as a board. The nuns had picked up on this and were fairly quiet. A few hours on the road, the bus swerved and thumped as it hit something, one of the tires going flat. Ranma simply wouldn't let them change the tire, doing it all himself and then comforting the nun who had been driving. He assured her the piglet that had appeared on the road out of nowhere was fine and had wandered off. His kindness warmed relations quickly and he found himself being talked into singing along with the whole choir as they sped down the road. It was a cheery group that finally got to New York City, their singing heard as they passed by, though it seemed to dim a bit after they dropped Ranma off. He was a bit bewildered by the whole experience, but it had gotten him thinking as he walked through Queens. There was so much to the world he had never seen or done. He recollected on how often he had come up against enemies that were a challenge not because of their skill but because they possessed more knowledge then him. Ryouga had even wandered off a time or two, coming back with something new to cause Ranma problems, and to Ranma, Ryouga had never come off as the brightest guy. This was his chance he felt. Free from the fiancées, his dad, and crazy surprise attacks, he could improve himself and maybe get rid of the ignorance his old man had instilled in him, a weakness that so many had used against him.

Whistling lowly, Ranma made his way to the address he had remembered being given by Castle-sensei. It was a nice neighborhood, very ideal America, Rockwellian, though he wondered where he had heard that word from before. The houses were all fairly neatly kept except the one he stopped at. It looked abandoned, as if there had been a fire inside years ago. It was getting late so he opted to go around back and check it out. The place would serve him for the night and then maybe he could ask about Frank in the morning. For an abandonned home it wasn't too bad inside, debris had been cleared away and a couple of rooms weren't damaged by the fire. He chose a nearly untouched bedroom and set out his sleeping bag. Sitting down in an old chair, munching on preserved meat he had kept from his stay in the park, Ranma used light from a street lamp to read an introductory physics book. Desiree had noticed his interest in the subject and had given him her old text. Ranma did in fact find it engrossing, never before had he found something that could explain, technically the things he had to feel his way through in martial arts. His distraction was ended when he heard a metalic clcik and a light shined on him. A threatening then surprised voice from behind the light questioned him, "Not a junkie.. well what are you doing here kid… is that a squirrel hanging out of your mouth?" Ranma looked up and smiled, offering one of his squirrel kebobs to the figure at the door, "Hey Castle-sensei, want one?"

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**Notes:** I wasn't sure what to do with this. I could have just thrown alot of it in for background and flashbacks later, but I wanted to give the story a Ranma feel. The epic journies that go horribly wrong or right depending on viewpoint with strange coincidences seems fitting. Story elements later will very much tie in to this little trip in unusual ways. As can be seen the 'cure' for the nekoken really isn't. Basicly with his now perfect memory, Ranma is still afraid of cats but his cat self has other ways of behaving while threatened.

=^.^=

version 2.0 - I think I cleaned it up pretty well.


	4. Interlude 1: War Journals

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

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**Interlude 1: War Journals**

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**War Journal**

It's the day after I arrived in New York. I'm not sure what to make of Castle-sensei. He's grimmer then I remember and I remember very well these days. He took me in, but hardly says a word. Its like he's forgotten how to talk to me or something like that. He didn't even comment on the story about my past much, just verified a few things I said when I had trouble translating them, then told me he needed a couple days to consider what we would do about it. That is how I know I found the right teacher to help me, because I need that kind of control, even the old mummy couldn't teach me it. I think it may be how he lives. The sewer creeps me out a little to be honest, but its like we are living in a mansion to him. The military rations are caustic.

They remind me of Akane's best efforts. One of the things about her I'd like to forget if I could. I'm not you know, not forgetting anything. It's kinda hard to hold on to anything of her I liked. I always used to hold onto the good moments and let the bad ones wash off me, but it doesn't work now. The good and the bad are all there and well the bad is covering over the good. The same is there for everyone else in Nerima. All I have here are fond memories, of people I've met and of how castle-sensei taught me years ago. It's easier than thinking about the past, for now. But I won't lose to my own memories, Saotome Ranma doesn't lose.

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Dear Diary*stricken through*

**War Journal Entry 01**

It has been a month since I saw him, Ranma. I promised him I would try to change, to be better then I am so first, we will try and understand his world better. I must confess that it has not been mine for years, not since mother passed on. Now, I do not deal well with violence not at all. I believe this is why I have such problems in handling the things that go on here around me. This is a home of warriors, it always has been and I forgot that. I feel like I failed mother somehow in this, she was always so brave and strong. I will be for her now. Father and Mister Saotome were going to chase Ranma but I convinced them that we needed them here, to support us. Nabiki was very helpful in this once I had interrupted them.

They will be reopening the Dojo soon and I am going to take a few classes at the local college. It was my dream to be a doctor though, and that is not changing me really. I am nervous but tonight I am going to ask Elder Kuh Lon if she will help me to continue the lessons of my childhood. I know Father couldn't bring himself to teach me, and Akane is so busy being angry, jealous. or indifferent about Ranma that she would be no help at all. I hope father will be able to begin teaching her again, when he stopped she only had herself really and that has been a great hindrance to her dreams. I think that is her dream at least. She is still young at heart and seems to have a new interest every other week. I do not think her new zeal is a good indication of things as all of her training dummies now sport a pigtail and she mostly just practices breaking them.

I shifted off the subject of my goals again to someone else. It is not easy for me to focus on myself, I have avoided doing it for so long. I have always tried to think of everyone as nice deep down, but it seems more hidden in some then others. Ryouga arrived a couple days ago, declaring he had been run over by Ranma with a bus of all things, not that he could tell anyone where this happened. Oh dear, that made everyone upset, but something occurred to me. I could not understand why everyone just believed his story. I imagine he must have gotten the tread mark on his back by being run over, but it was so large. Then I saw P-chan with a proper sized tire track right on his back too. I had never realized until then that Ryouga had a curse. Nabiki grinned when she saw P-chan so I think she already knew. Akane declared Ranma had taken to using trucks to attack people and defenseless animals. This situation is not good at all and I feel I must intervene for the sake of our family's honour. I hope Nabiki can help me.

XOXOXO Kasumi

Oh! I mean,

**entry closed**.

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**Notes**: Its a little early for an interlude, but i think this expedites the story well. I have this picture of kasumi writing in her diary with one of her ribbons tied around her head like Rambo.


	5. Chapter 3: Welcome to the War

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

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**Chapter 3: Welcome to the War**

It started on the third day after Castle-sensei had told him he needed to think on the best way to help Ranma. At three AM, Ranma found himself flying through the air; he didn't think much of it until he landed in a fetid mixture of sewer slime and broken glass. He winced as one jagged shard cut down his back and made ready to yell in indignation before he was silenced with an oncoming fist from his blindside. Recovering quickly, he managed to put his hands up to take most of the force out of a metal baton meant to slam across his ribs. He twisted himself preparing to dodge the baton only to fall over from a steel-toed boot striking his shin. Wiping a little blood from his face, Ranma prepared to leap back to his feet only to stop at the eyeful of barrel in front of him. Frank Castle squeezed the trigger with no hesitation, sending his target crashing back into the ground with a single bullet's impact.

Castle's voice held just a hint tinge of respect, as he spoke, "Not even a minute out from point blank impact, do you think it would be that easy if I had used hollow points instead of rubber?"

Ranma eyed the gun still in Castle's hands before commenting, "No sensei."

Castle smirked faintly before firing off three more rounds, "There's a lot more to being ambushed then just landing in a pond. From now on, I will be honing your will to survive. "

Ranma who was slammed again into the ground after dodging the first two bullets but missing the third picked himself up and bowed, still watching his sensei, "Yes, Sensei. It only takes one mistake."

Castle nodded before holstering his revolver, "Your father, your friends, they were all predictable. That may seem odd considering the way they reacted, but they always fell into and followed a pattern. There will be no more patterns; you will stuff your head full of whatever I bring for you to read; I will attack you at random; I will make you switch subjects without finishing each and then I will test you. "

Ranma nodded and grinned in anticipation as he responded, "yes sensei."

Frank stared off at soemthing behind Ranma a moment before gazing at him again, "Memorize the map and list on the table, take the money there as well, you have half an hour to bring back everything on the list, starting now."

Looking at his sensei that had just clicked on a stopwatch, Ranma blinked a few times and then dashed to the table behind him. With a quick scan of the map, the list, and snatching up the bundles of large bills there, he charged out into the sewers. When he emerged out onto the streets from an alley, he quickly got his bearings and leapt over an intersection, rushing towards the first stop on his list.

Running down the street with a large wad of cash in hand did not fail to attract attention. Ranma just smiled and waved to the police officer calling after him. He just did not have time to chat about the weather, as they usually liked to do, well back in Nerima at least. Unbeknownst to Ranma, there had been an actual police task force assigned to find and talk to him about his day whenever tensions were running high in Nerima. It managed to discourage anyone from starting a fight with the pig-tailed boy. Not thinking anything about it, he casually stepped over a trip line of weird material set across the sidewalk. It wasn't exactly new for people to want to surprise attack him, though the guy who swung by on some weird web like rope and tried to snag his money for supplies was new.

Spiderman nearly hit a wall from surprise when he missed grabbing the money away from the would-be mugger. He was certain he had just set his trip line too low before, since he had been in such a hurry, but it seemed like he may have a minorly powered street punk on his hands. Planning to surprise the thief, he slung himself up and came down head first in front of the running teen, hanging in his path. Spiderman was about to let off one of his trademark jibes as he grabbed the thief's arm, only to be dodged around instead with split second timing. To add insult to injury, he heard the thief remark as he ran away, "got errands, can't play… Uh, nice clown costume though."

Ranma really thought the street performer was a bit over the top, swinging around in that getup and teasing pedestrians, but who was he to judge after all. His father made him run with a ball and chain attached to his ankle one time, and another time he had to carry a couch with Genma on it, running away from wolves. Lost in his thoughts he failed to dodge the high velocity paintball that slammed into his back. Shaking his head at his inattention, he did dodge the street performer guy. Readying himself to dodge any more paintballs from his Sensei, who was up in a sniper position somewhere to his right, he ran up to the street performer guy and slapped a dollar in his hand speaking quickly, "Great show man, but I really have to go! Errands!"

Taking off again, he managed to slip by another paintball. Spiderman stared at the dollar in his hand a moment before his spider sense went off. Still in shock, he turned in the direction the pig-tailed thief had taken, expecting an attack when several paintballs nailed him in the face. Up several stories on a roof, Frank Castle had switched his rifle to automatic and was pelting the hapless Spiderman until his ammo gave out. He muttered to himself, "No one is messing up my first lesson," as he rappelled down into a back alley and slipped into a sewer entrance. Spiderman stood up slowly, the paintballs had stung, but with little real damage, though the bruises would be a problem for a few hours. The pictures being snapped of him would not so easily wash away as the paint on his costume. He vowed then and there to bust this punk thief for such a humiliation; there would be a reckoning.

Ranma was just too busy to notice someone else swearing vengeance against him, his first stop had been a small alley where he was supposed to leave five thousand dollars behind a loose brick. Then had come the hardware store and now he was carting a stack of boards, a saw, hammer, nails and various other tools. Running down the sidewalk had become even more difficult so he had taken to bounding from street lamp to street lamp. This had the added bonus of not attracting so much attention. Every now and then a kid would yell and point at him, calling him construction-man, or the super builder. He wasn't sure what was with these American kids; they seemed to see super heroes everywhere. His last stop was a street food vendor where he ordered a dozen hot dogs and one with extra sauce as he was instructed. The vendor also gave him a long black case, which confused Ranma a little because the vendor assured him he must have dropped it. Knowing better then to argue with a vendor when they give you something (It could lead to them not giving you food after all.), he made his way back to his Sensei's sewer dwelling.

Castle was waiting, stopwatch in one hand, and a revolver in the other. He clicked the stopwatch as Ranma arrived. They stared at each other for several tense moments before Castle put away his gun and spoke, "Five seconds to spare, lucky." Ranma flashed a grin of victory before putting the building tools down on a dry area of the sewer room's floor and then the bags of hot dogs on the table. He stared at the long case he had been assured was his by the vendor.

Castle then motioned to the case, "Ranma, put it down on the table." Ranma shrugged before complying and then looked at the food hungrily as he asked if they could eat yet. With a shrug Castle drew his handgun and emptied it at Ranma.

As the young boy picked himself up, Castle replaced the spent cylinder of bullets with a fully loaded one and holstered his sidearm. Then as if talking about the weather, castle spoke casually, "I lied about you making it. You were five seconds late. Now the guy who gave you the case goes by Vinnie. He used to be a scumbag that bought stolen jewelry in his pawnshop before seeing his future."

Ranma nodded, wincing as he wondered if maybe his Sensei had developed a bit of gun mania he had heard exemplorized Americans. He added in cheerfully, "It's good to hear he saw the error of his ways and decided to make a change for the better."

"Some people threatened to hang him from a bridge if he didn't. He does favors for me, like getting you that case. Inside is a nice firearm to begin studying them, a bolt action rifle, the M40A3 used by marine snipers. I expect you to become proficient with it and in maintaining it. We will then move on to more complicated instruments. "

"I understand Castle-sensei, but err can we eat now," Ranma practically begged as his stomach rumbled. His Sensei smirked and sat down at the table with his pig-tailed protégé. They ate in silence and only after that was the idea behind his new training explained to Ranma. Castle had decided that young man worked best when challenged so he was going to give his student the most intense information packed trial of his life. The overflow of information would then force Ranma to master his new ability to perfectly recall information. The rest of the day for Ranma was spent building bookshelves, using schematics he had to memorize with one glance, while also reading through a technical manual on his new rifle, dodging a bolt loosed from a crossbow, studying basic algebra, failing to disarm a timer connected to a flash bang grenade and fighting off a rat the size of a small dog that tried to steal his dinner. His sensei had kept to his promise of no pattern, forcing Ranma to change between tasks randomly. It was with a certain amount of exhausted joy that young man finally was told to get in his bunk. He had survived his first day of training.

* * *

**Notes**: I hope this makes a bit of sense. Ranma does generally cope well with surprises he would expect. That was used against him here, things familiar yet not going as he would expect and then unfamiliar challenges.

Well my internet has been down for a week so lots of spare time to write. as soon as its back I'll be posting quite a few chqapters.


	6. Chapter 4: Friendly Neighbours

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Friendly Neighbors**

It had been at least a month now of what most people called hell. Ranma, whose personal hell involved being thrown into a pit of cats bound and covered in fish products, thought it was the best training of his life. He was even able to shuttle aside memories like being in that pit when the subject came across his mind. He had firmly grasped the lesson that a wandering mind leads to a dead body in war. To his sensei all of life was now war. A new sort of understanding was burgeoning inside of Ranma as well, one that he was slowly accepting. The more details he learned of people the more about them he understood. This had been quite a shock to him; as he had never really thought about others with such focus save as opponents. Castle-sensei was driven by some terrible purpose, stronger then even Ranma's own desire to improve himself. He had started to find his old purpose in life to be shallow when compared to his teacher's. Also as he studied the world around him, Ranma realized there was more he could do then just the odd rescuing of a fiancée. His father had always said that it was the duty of a martial artist to protect the weak, but really they had never looked for those who needed help, maybe it was time for him to start.

Ranma who had been sent out for actual recreation pondered these things as he toured the Manhattan area, leaping about using buildings, street lamps and even the odd tree to keep out of the crowds. He had been keeping a low profile after his sensei had explained about superheroes, but it was just so boring. He probably wouldn't run into that spiderguy again and besides he could just explain things, being a hero meant being reasonable and just after all. On his way to wherever that heavenly pizza smell was coming from he spotted a couple of guys in a covered alley assaulting a pretty red headed woman. Leaping into the alley and bouncing along the walls near where the roofs of the adjacent buildings shielded the alley from the sky, several stories up, Ranma pursued the men as they forced their victim around a corner.

The woman whose sweater had had its sleeve torn was lying in a heap of trash, standing over her was a large slovenly man and another that wasn't lean so much as he appeared to be with his beady eyes and rodent features. The two scum seemed familiar to Ranma, even in the dark and then they spoke sparking recognition. Ratface licked his lips in anticipation and a little fear before he whined to his friend, "Hey Mac, we got us a lucky find here but what about." Mac slapped his partner's shoulder and then waved a machete at the woman lying before him, he obviously enjoyed watching her bravado crumble as the time passed and no savior appeared. Showing off his corroded teeth in a big smile he growled out hoarsely, "We aren't even in the same state as that guy anymore. Hey look sweets, no sky, thick walls and a nice blind corner. There won't be none of them heroes to get in our way. " The sound of cracking knuckles came off sharply like bones breaking behind them and there stood Ranma. Mac started to attack the interloper, but then looking at his cowering friend yelled, "You gonna help me with this trash? You want your piece of fun doancha, Stanley?" Before Ratface could answer Ranma butted in jovially, "Mac, Ratface, my last lesson in manners seems ta have failed entirely. Time for tha advanced course."

Spiderman had been making his rounds much more intensely since the debacle six weeks ago. It had been on every paper with headlines like, 'Spiderman: Clowning Around' or 'Spiderman Goes Tie-dye'. The pigtailed thief would show up sooner or later, they always did and then he was going down. Spiderman couldn't afford to be cruel but he could at least enjoy watching the thief go to jail. Meanwhile, crime and its criminals were having a rough time of it; Spiderman was everywhere, leading to some papers celebrating his efforts and others notably 'The Bugle' crying for police to step in and capture the vigilante. He was just about to go home for a bit of rest and to check over his pictures when he saw the pig-tailed thief hurriedly leaping out and away from an alley. From the alley stumbling out a bit dazedly to a nearby police officer was his favoutite red head, Mary Jane. She was scuffed and dirty, showing signs of recent struggle. The sight of her tore into Spiderman. Peter Parker raged, anger boiling over in him, his vision a wash of red. For a moment he resisted, then with one more look at Mary Jane's tear stained face, he simply let his rage claim him.

Ranma was lazily hopping along, following the street. It had felt good to help someone out and to put those degenerates in their place. Again it occurred to him that new words were floating around in his head he had never considered before and it was also disturbing how sharply he could read those two jerks purposes. Their minds had seemed open to him when he studied the situation. This brought a shudder along his spine, as he really wished he did not have the exact details of what they had planned for the poor woman running through his head. He had just touched down on a low-lying roof when suddenly he flipped to the side, he didn't need Castle-sensei's training to dodge people jumping him from behind, he was very used to it, but it had certainly made him even quicker. The roof caved in a little where Spiderman's foot connected and Ranma was glad he had gotten out of the way. The guy took things just a little more seriously then Sensei had thought he would. Ranma tried to reason with his attacker as he dodged yet more vicious blows, "Hey uh Spiderguy, right? Whoa. Almost took my head off there. Look uhm sorry man, I'm new in town. Didn't do anything wrong an I don't mean any harm okay… uh heh could you put the piece of the building down."

Spiderman couldn't believe the gall of this creep, trying to play innocent after hurting Mary Jane. With a grunt he ripped off a piece of the building's brick facade and tossed it yelling, "You're going to pay for what you did to her buddy!"

This confused Ranma who caught the piece of building at the last second and set it down, "Ryouga that you? Naw couldn't be. Be careful man you're going ta hurt someone."

Spiderman's response, "yeah you." was a followed by a sudden cocoon of webbing, some of which managed to snag Ranma's foot, allowing him to finish covering the teen.

Ranma found his arms pinned to his body by the sticky strands that covered most of his body as the apparently not so heroic Spiderguy picked the piece of building up and prepared to smash him with it. His sensei would kill Ranma if he let some guy bash his brains in like this. Ranma had to start taking fights more seriously he knew, it seemed like being reasonable didn't even work with so called superheroes.

Spiderman struggled with himself, he could not just kill a helpless criminal, it would be against everything he believed in, but this cocky punk had hurt his MJ, he deserved it. The decision was removed from him before he could bring his weapon down or throw it away. A blinding light broiled off the teen and toppled Spiderman over with the help of the piece of building being slammed into his chest.

Ranma, having torn himself out of the webbing with a modified Ki blast, finished the fight entirely with what would seem to others a wicked, blurring punch across Spiderman's jaw. He had assessed Spiderguy's ability to endure damage and had chosen to use a variation of one of his special attacks, striking his pinned foe in the jaw so fast that thirty blows seemed like one.

Gently pulling off the now rubble of the building, he checked over the masked man before sheepishly standing up and adjusting his pigtail. He knew he was going to be in trouble though, there was a helicopter hovering off to the side and above them, leaning out of it a man with a video camera capturing the scene and Ranma had totally missed it. The cell phone Sensei had given him rang and Ranma felt chills along his spine. Answering it, he heard Castle-sensei's terse voice, "Grab Spiderman by the spandex and get out of there, everyone saw the fight and people will be coming to make sure him and you don't walk away. Burn the phone." Ranma crushed the phone in his hand, scooped up Spiderman and zig-zagged away, using the sides of buildings to make the helicopter lose track of him.

He took a moment to catch his breath a few miles away in a deserted alley. This had not been the easy day of rest he had planned and he mostly blamed it on his cargo, still dead to the world. That wouldn't be the state of things for much longer and Ranma doubted reasoning with Spiderguy would be any easier now. Snagging his weird weapon belt, Ranma hid the unconscious webslinger in a trash piled dumpster. Looking around to make sure no one noticed anything again, he leapt away being careful to not attract any attention to himself. Miles away, Ranma casually picked up a funnel cake from a street vendor before heading to the first safe location he had been given to meet his sensei if there had ever been any trouble. It was kind of weird to him, but Ranma supposed it was all a part of the training, to really live the life of a covert operations soldier.

* * *

**Notes:** Yes Ranma is a little clueless here. As to Spiderman, Ranma always seems to get into situations that bring out the worst in people.


	7. Chapter 5: Parting Friends

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Parting Friends**

Ranma had expected the wharehouse to be a dive, that seemed like the sort of thing his Sensei preferred. Instead, he found himself studying a fairly well kept and currently being used place in an active industrial area. He studied the building for an hour as he had been taught, looking for anything out of the ordinary, but there was nothing. Of course, it occurred to him that never having been there before made seeing something out of place a bit difficult. He carefully slipped around to a more secluded side of the building not in use. There was a door on that side with not doorknob at all and it did not match up to any of the other entrances. Castle-sensei had given him a code, but no real explanations, a sort of secondary test he supposed. Studying around the doorway he eventually noticed a hidden hatch in one of the concrete supports. Inside the hatch was a small lever that once pressed revealed a hidden compartment, holding a keypad. It all seemed a bit complex to Ranma, but sensei seemed to like those spy story types of set ups.

Inside the doorway a metal stairwell twisted its way up, and he would have taken it immediately if he had not noticed an open secret entrance under the first set of stairs. Ranma wondered if Castle-sensei had a guy with one letter for a name supplying him neat gadgets. He had always kind of liked the idea of a rocket pen or a jet pack. The hidden entry had a ramp that went down to a set of stairs, leading him down several stories to an open vault door. Beyond that stood his sensei, who was staring at his own reflection in a mirror on the far wall. Ranma was a little creeped out by the whole setting; he had never seen his sensei in full body armor before and the skull design of the front looked sinister. He entered the room carefully wondering if an ambush was imminent.

Frank Castle did not even twitch as he calmly spoke, "Looks like Spiderman has taken a real disliking to you, doesn't it?"

Ranma shrugged and relaxed a little, "Yeah well, it's nothing new, sensei."

Castle actually smiled a little, "If I had to describe him, I would say he has always been reckless, but devotedly concerned with not hurting others. For his sake, I hope he doesn't make a habit of rampaging. You alright?"

Ranma smiled a bit and puffed up his chest, "No problem!"

"He almost got you there, Ranma."

"He caught me off guard, I know you said that should never happen, but he..."

Castle interrupted him tersely, "But I told you he was a good guy and would be safe enough if you were reasonable?"

"Yeah."

Turning to face his student, Castle walked over to a set of chairs turning one around before sitting in it, Ranma followed his example.

Castle stared into his student's eyes for a time, taking his measure before speaking, "Ranma, there are people in the world that just don't care about what they do. Murderers, rapists, junkies, extorotionists; these criminals are all out there."

Ranma rubbed the back of his head and interjected, "But aren't tha police supposed ta take care of that."

"You think they could take care of Spiderman if he decided to kill?"

"Well no, but someone would."

"What about the mob? They can buy their way out of trouble, have witnesses killed, threaten innocents to get what they want."

"Someone has to stop that then," Ranma exclaimed and looked surprised at his own vehemence, then he was surprised at thinking a word like vehemence.

Frank was silent a moment before continuing, "That is what I do, punish the guilty. But I don't leave room for appeals, for the system to let these animals go repeat their crimes. I kill these people Ranma, that makes me a criminal in the eyes of the law."

Staring into his sensei's eyes, Ranma's own widened and he shook his head in disbelief, "But its wrong, you shouldn't just kill."

"It's what they do."

"Then you will become as twisted and wretched as they are!"

The Punisher smiled at his young friend while speaking in an almost dead tone, "I know that Ranma, but if it means I don't have to see just one innocent butchered, I'm okay with that. You know how it is, you cared for your fiancée, when you killed."

Ranma was silent his head lowered as he relived the memories of his battle on phoenix mountain, he could have shut them out, but instead he embraced them, accepting his part in things.

"You did what was needed, you can say now it wasn't or you can say you acted too late and should have killed him sooner, but things have already happened, you do what you can now. You were a good boy when we first met, you are becoming a good man, and you don't need my help anymore," Castle voice softened at the last.

Ranma stared into his sensei's eyes again with all his determination, "You can still help me."

Castle set his hand on Ranma's shoulder as he answered, "Yes. The problem is Ranma, eventually someone is going to find out you are hanging around me, I have enemies and they will go after you and the people you care about. There is that other problem as well."

"What other problem?"

"You want to help others, but you don't want to kill people. I have work to do still, so we can part as friends now at least. You need to find your way of doing things, just don't forget what I taught you."

They shook hands; a custom Ranma found appropriate, each feeling the other's strength, remembering it and then Frank Castle was gone. He didn't just leave Ranma with nothing at all, though; the bunker was fully equipped for a six month siege, including weapons and ammo. The above stairs actually lead to a small loft apartment. It was all very livable, luxurious almost compared to the way they had been living. Frank had left files on super heroes behind as well, a small network of contacts and had set up a drop point for Ranma to receive mail. It was all very tidy, a place he could always retreat to if he needed. To top it all off there was a list of people his Sensei thought could help him further him in his training.

* * *

**Excerpt from Frank Castle's War Journal**

Ranma Saotome has a lot to learn about the world around him still and maybe so do I. I always expected Spiderman to go too far one day, but not with a kid who isn't even old enough to shave. Ranma can fight his own battles, but not everyone else can. Papers have an eye witness account of a woman Ranma saved from a mugging just before Spiderman attacked. This all looks like a misunderstanding, but still the spider has to be watched in case this is a new habit to go along with his recklessness.

Genma got in contact with me not long after I let the kid go, just showed up and tore apart a crime boss before I did. He talked to me briefly, asked how Ranma's training went, never asked where the kid was. He told me I owed him nothing now, tossing me a bottle of sake as a gift before leaving. This whole thing is rotten, I have to move locations now, but I still owe something to that young man. Whatever is going on, I don't plan to just forget about Ranma Saotome.

* * *

Notes: Really a Punisher/Ranma teamup would be interesting, but the collateral damage makes it seem a bit crazy to me. I don't think the Punisher would let Ranma risk the lives of his loved ones just to hang out.

So I was pondering another chapter inserted before this one, but I couldn't make it fit. Finally I just decided to post the ones I have done already.


	8. Interlude 2: Making Progress

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

* * *

**Interlude 2**

* * *

My Son,

I did not think we would have a chance to communicate at all while you were away. I know how rigorous your martial studies are; just remember to continue your schooling as we agreed. You are wearing warm clothes I hope? I saw you on television fighting that bully Spiderman. I am sure you can take care of such riffraff yourself, but please be careful for your mother's sake.

Now, please write to me soon and tell me about the girls you are meeting my manly son. I want you to know I fully approve of you exploring women while away and expect you to come back to us with a much wider scope of romance. I also wish for you to be careful as well; Americans can be callous, do not think they are like us my Son. They are but a product of their environment.

I dream of your future,

Mother

* * *

**War Journal Entry 02** *little hearts decorate the entry*

Oh my what a hectic few weeks. Things had somewhat calmed down after the fiasco of Akane trying to run away with Ryouga. She was going to follow him until he ran into Ranma again. Mister Saotome caught them and threw Ryouga out of the house. It was most unlike him, but I guess he could have just been in a bad mood without his son around. He has been dedicated to helping father get classes started.

There I go again about someone else instead of myself, but it is strange and I think its something worth noting. I'm getting faster every day and the elder has been very dedicated to helping me learn martial arts. She says that I may even be ready to learn a special technique, though I will have to promise not to teach it to anyone else unless she gives me permission. The only real hurdle is that I am not aggressive enough. Tomorrow night she is taking me out for special training in the park, she called it crime prevention. I do think we will have fun; Shan Pu will be coming with us as well.

I really let myself lapse in writing my Journal, and I can see I forgot several things, but today I was reminded when I saw Ranma on television. It was so exciting; one of those costumed people was attacking him. Akane assures me that it was a hero, Spiderman I think she said. I wonder about her, she was cheering when the masked man encased Ranma in a cocoon of web and was about to smash him with a piece of the building. I was worried for a moment before he broke himself free and defeated this Spiderman.

I know this journal is supposed to help me get in touch with my own self and feelings, but maybe I should talk about other people too. Seeing Ranma seems to have spurred Akane on again. The rants are getting worse and she is acting suspiciously. Nabiki is as well. I caught her speaking quietly with Mister Saotome, but then changed the subject when I came with tea. I think… I think I will have to make Nabiki tell me what is happening, before I go out with the Elder and Shan Pu. I just need to get her alone where we will not be interrupted.

**Entry closed**

* * *

**War Journal**

Ain't it a kick in the pants. My sensei turns out to be one of the most wanted vigilantes in the United States. It isn't easy for me to think about, well I mean, I still can't forget anything, but it is a difficult concept. He never exactly explained what made him start killing these villains, but I remember how his posture changed every time my battle at Jusendo was brought up. Truth to tell, I wouldn't notice it at the time since I never really like thinking about that war. People have shouted they wanted me dead before, tried to cut me down with swords or other lethal weapons, but it never seemed serious until then.

The time for games is over. In one stupid argument I managed to find myself in a real life or death situation, and Akane almost paid the price. The rest of us would have followed after her I guess too. Looking into Frank's eyes, I saw my own just before he left. I saw what I could be if I had failed to protect those I l..care about. I sort of think that is why he tried so much to help me, to tear me apart and rebuild me. I am not sure what you give back to someone who only wants to see that you never experience the worst pain you or they can imagine.

He could have dumped me off in the street and it'd be right. He may think being around him is bad for me and everyone else, but I can't hide out anywhere. My mom even saw me on TV fighting that spiderguy. A city full of heroes and the one most likely to be friendly, wants to kill me for some reason. I wonder if he's Ryouga's cousin or something. It's probably just the way I look. This stuff always seems to happen to me, it has just been a lot calmer the past weeks then usual so I was hoping things were going to stay that way.

Looking through the leads Sensei left for me, this guy stands out, really long title and all. It seems like Sensei thinks I could be this mutant thing and this guy can help me out. I guess I can at least walk to his house and ask about it. I'm kind of lucky since I don't even have to leave the state. I still want to see California though; I really want to learn to surf.

* * *

**Notes:**Hey there! Well just writing along here. People may notice that Nodoka shows a bit of a racist streak and that is intentional. I have often wondered when Ranma's real father turns out to be some mutant or another who left her why she always seems to be carrying a torch for them. Genma is usually portrayed as some jerk so the fact they left her with him and she just let it go seemed convenient to me.

Ranma also may make a comment or two about Americans and this is entirely because he doesn't really know them. He has a vague impression from the media he has seen and Ranma has always been a bit trusting of the information he is given.


	9. Chapter 6: Origin of Powers!

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Origin of powers?!**

It was a beautiful countryside that Ranma found himself in, fall was soon to turn into winter and there was a bit of a chill in the air. He had been watching the home of this possible contact for a few days now, but not with any real time to just enjoy the feel of nature. Today he was not lurking about; instead he was walking right down the road up to the front gates. It was just a little past ten in the morning, and most of the inhabitants would be away, a perfect situation to escape in case another incident occurred.

Ranma pressed the com buzzer at the gate, a voice almost immediately came over the speaker, "Yeah? Your business?" The speed and calmness of the response indicated that he had been noticed before he even got up to the gate as he expected. Taking a breath he waited just an extra moment to respond, "Hello, I am Ranma Saotome. I am here to speak to Doctor Charles Xavier, world's foremost expert on genetic mutation and world's most powerful telepath if he can spare the time." He had worked out the exact phrasing for a good hour, trying to make certain he did not stumble over such a large title. It was a little silly to him, but he needed this Charles guy's help and a little respect ahead of time might help. He had so many examples to draw upon where his lack of respect had harmed his purposes after all.

Ranma was a bit nervous when the gate finally opened; he had been standing in place a good ten minutes before being told by the same gruff voice to wait for an escort. He was guessing the guy walking up to him was the same as the one on the speaker. A little shorter then him, but built wider, the guy had very developed muscles and a predator's eyes. He was heavier then he should be, maybe using a variation of Mu tsu's hidden weapon style. Something smelt off about the guy too, musky, like a wild animal.

Ranma was proven right as the man spoke, "Charles said to show you to his office. Behave yourself."

Ranma simply replied, "Of course," before nonchalantly following the man. This lack of reaction seemed to make his guide even gruffer, but Ranma wasn't going to mess up this opportunity. He would take the guy down a peg or two later if need be after all, but first information. He was lead through a very ornately furnished mansion. Idly he would calculate the street value for things, something his father had drilled into at one point. It was one way of relaxing, he just never planned to do anything else with the talent.

Finally, Ranma brought into a study filled with books, some rare and antique he noted before bringing all of his attention to the man in the chair before him. It wasn't as easy as he thought it would be, trying his best to stare at the man and not the wheelchair he used. The man was older with no hair and seemed to radiate authority as well as power to support it. That helped Ranma keep focused on the man's eyes.

Charles had a rich voice to match his authoritative continence as he spoke, "Good day to you Ranma, I am Charles Xavier. This is Logan a friend of mine," he indicated the man who had met Ranma at the gate, "Now what can we do for you, young man."

Ranma smiled nervously and adjusted his pigtail before speaking, "Well, uhm sir, my Sensei told me you might be able to help me. He thought I might be like a mutant or something?" The bald guy closed his eyes a moment and Ranma felt a bit weird, like someone was poking him in the head. He really did not need the distraction of a headache right then so he focused himself a little and pushed the sensation away.

The bald guy's eyes opened wide and he stared at Ranma for several tense moments before speaking, "Just what do you think a mutant is Ranma?"

With the headache gone Ranma felt less tense about the whole situation, so some casualness creeped into his voice, "Well Doc, I figured people don't always understand differences you know, gotta come up with some way to explain it. I guess most people don't want to believe weird stuff can just happen."

Charles smiles a bit at the answer, it was a unique approach to the question, but showed some interesting analytical skills in the young man. "Mutation specifically the mutation that makes a person a mutant involves a particular gene sequence in humans, the X-gene as it is called. This gene grants mutants a naturally boosted stamina and access to certain powers based on other components of their genetics," Charles explained without a hint of drone to his voice.

"aww, heh well not sure I could be one of them, wasn't born with no powers, just started out being able to catch a thought or two from people. No big deal."

Logan stared at the kid, trying to figure out how reading someone's mind couldn't be a big deal while Xavier continued speaking with the boy, "Such powers do not show themselves often until a person is maturing, at puberty or sometimes even later. You definitely have psionic gifts young man, but before I tell you more, would you mind being examined? I have a hunch about how you acquired them."

"err examination… Like what exactly," Ranma asked staring at the closest window, being tested like a lab rat was something Castle-sensei had mention to him as a possible danger.

Charles placed as much soothing into his voice as he could, "I assure you Ranma, just a simple test. There will be no need for anything else."

"oh well err, okay, but no half a meter long needles, and no nurses."

Charles wasn't sure but he thought he saw an image projected by the young man of a nearly nude nurse chasing after him, how realistic it seemed for an adolescent male's fantasy, but he figured it had to do with the young man's psionic powers. "I can administer the test myself if that is your wish," He reassured Ranma who nodded happily and followed the guy out, the wild man, Logan, Ranma noted, followed close behind, like a good, annoying body guard.

The simple test of course was not nearly simple in Ranma's opinion. He thought maybe a little blood drawn or a cheek swab would work, until he followed the wheelchair bound man down a secret elevator. It seemed to him that anyone who owned a mansion must have secret passages under it, the Kunou family being his only good comparison and their silly trap filled complex. This place was different though and it had mad scientist 'and' secret government installation written all over it.

Thus, it was little surprise to Ranma that they had a science fiction inspired laboratory with a secluded room, holding a non-reflective metal table complete with restraints. Not even bothering to question it, He just assumed this would have to be as embarrassing as possible. Stripping off his clothes, he noticed the widening of Logan's eyes before they narrowed. He sort of disliked that kind of man, sure good for a bit of a workout, but always so intensely certain of themselves, a killer who weighs life as cheap. Climbing onto the table without a work, he merely waited and pondered the way the killer, looked at him challenge clear in his eyes.

It was a bit disquieting to Charles Xavier to have Ranma strip down, it was not exactly needed for the scanning to function, but not knowing the young man well he was not sure embarrassing him with an explanation would be conducive to convincing him to stay. The look from Logan was a familiar one as well, studying a threat, which always came off as him studying new prey when directed at strangers or enemies. It did not have a good reaction from the young man, Xavier noted. He would have to make sure Logan knew to tone things down with the young man, they both were filled with pride in their skills, pride that would assuredly clash if they did not reconcile.

The readings were as the professor thought, most intriguing. This Ranma Saotome was a rarity beyond rarities, there was much he could teach here, if only there was some way to convince him to stay. Charles smiled a bit winsomely as he spoke through speaker system, "Ranma, we are finished. If you would like to get dressed and come with me to my study, I will explain some of the initial results. The others will take time to be processed." The young man flashed a smile of relief and gestured back with a thumbs up.

It was just a moment after Ranma had dressed himself that Charles noted his eyes locked with Logan's own. For just a moment, both looked like mirror images, just bodies holding something feral and untamed, before Ranma shifted his gaze past the wild man in indifference. Charles was certain he needed to speak to Logan quickly now, but first he had to explain things to Ranma.

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****Notes:** You know it I know it, Xavier should have known it, but then when has he ever been able to properly stop a showdown before it starts. Yes, next chapter I plan to have a Logan-Ranma fight. I am still working out some of the nuances. Also, I am trying to finalize my decision on which version of the X-men to use.


	10. Chapter 7: Flaming Savagery!

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

**

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****Chapter 7: Flaming Savagery!**

Ranma stared out the window as Professor Xavier settled himself behind his desk. The young man was doing his best to enjoy the last of the leaves falling outside and to ignore the feral bodyguard's stare that could be felt on the back his neck. The scent of blood kept drawing Ranma back to Logan, not an actual aroma per say, but the tangible feel of one who had spilt out the lives of many others. It drew his mind back to Jusendo mountain and another who had so little regard for human life.

With a slight cough Charles Xavier brought the young man's attention from the dark places his mind had begun wandering. The air had taken on a gloomier atmosphere that anyone could feel and surprisingly to Charles, it had made the boy more guarded, his previously open mind vanished from the psychic plane. Charles chose his words carefully as he spoke, "Well Ranma, there were some unique quirks to your genetics I must admit. However, they will take more then a few minutes to analyze, but I can definitively say it is as I expected, you are not a mutant."

Logan was surprised since the kid had psionic talents, talents he assumed made the kid think he was some kind of super martial artist, totally useless against his natural psionic shielding of course, but the kid was infuriating the way he just shrugged it all off and with a definite smirk replied, "yeah well, I was pretty sure there was nothing like that about me, years of hard work pay off you know."

Logan was annoyed at how Xavier nodded his head agreeably with the egotistical punk before explaining further, "Yes, but it is not just training, the origin of psionic gifts lies within the minds of all sentient beings, throughout history many who were not mutants have had such powers. They all had something in common though; a situation arose so overpoweringly stressful that their minds were forced to find a new resource to deal with the world, their strong wills. "

The punk kid's eyes were not facing Logan but he knew from the feel of the room they had turned steely a moment as the boy nodded and spoke in a quiet voice, "yes."

"I will not pry into these things, I only wish to offer you training in your new found gifts and a place here in my home if you will join us. I feel that over time you will see that we can be trusted."

Ranma looked over the Xavier for several moments, studying him and for the first time, knowingly felt himself scan another person's mind, only due to it being another telepath allowing him in but barring him from some places. Of course, Ranma was also reading the man's life force, very controlled, very regimented, but disturbingly rigid, not brittle but it was possible to become so. This made the presence of the blood soaked self-satisfied feral Logan behind him impossible to ignore.

After some time, that was slowly wearing away at Logan's patience with the less then grateful punk, the kid nodded his head regally and spoke, "I am sorry Doctor Charles Xavier, but I still need time on my own, I know I need training in these techniques, but staying here would be impossible for me."

It was easy for Xavier to see that the young man was uncomfortable in Logan's presence, but no one had ever turned him down because of that. It did not really fit into what he had discerned of the young man either, but he held out his hand to Ranma, politely replying, "I see, well perhaps we could meet at your convenience for training sessions. Your instincts are very good, but such gifts need to be honed or they will present a danger to you and others."

The kid shook Charles' hand exaggeratedly to Logan, wearing that superior smile at knowing he had made a proud man crawl to his service. It reminded him of more then one self-important would be samurai Logan had met in Japan.

Ranma for his part was relieved and so spoke a bit freely. "You honor me sensei with your undertandin, all I ask is ya get another less creepy bodyguard for our meetings, maybe whoever keeps the weather so nice around here, never seen that trick before."

Logan growled out, "what're you talking about kid?" He had not really heard anything more then the little punk calling him creepy.

Ranma turned and answered with each syllable perfectly pronounced in flippancy, "You know what I am talking about, you have been staring at me like a dog at a bone since I got here old man."

Logan tried to calm himself since he was at the mansion and not in some bar, speaking a little less gruffly, "I don't look old enough for you to be calling me old man, boy and you haven't paid attention to me for more then a moment since you got here."

Xavier relieved that Logan seemed to have eased the amount of tension in himself did not interfere as Ranma just continued on in infuriating flippancy, "Duh, You develop a sense about these things with experience, maybe one day you will get some."

Logan's eye actually ticked a bit as he responded coolly, "I have plenty of experience kid, I would be happy to show you."

"Look not every hotshot that wanders through those doors is going to be interested in you."

Charles was not so sure he understood what the guarded young man was saying now; it seemed like there could be a different meaning to things entirely, one dawning on Logan who was growling his words out again, "I think your ego is smothering out the oxygen in your head kid."

Something clicked behind Logan's eyes as Ranma spoke next, "Yeah, you get your ego in check, just because you have a bad boy haircut doesn't make you worth my time," and before Charles could do anything Logan lunged at Ranma sending them both out of the window.

As they fell, Ranma kicked the feral man away wincing at the extra mass Logan seemed to have even as he declared, "Don't they have a saying in this country. No means no!"

Taking a stance Logan glared at the kid while grinding out, "Punk, I'm gonna beat you raw."

Only to receive Ranma's casual response, "Man, your oh so deadly posturing isn't even that great, an elderly lady has gotten me more interested before."

Charles looked on and with a shake of his head watched, this would have to be settled now it seemed before things got so serious people would be hurt. The conversation of course was striking other observers oddly, including Storm, mistress of weather as she floated down to the smashed out window, checking on the Professor. Him not being alarmed she simply followed his lead and watched the battle being waged below.

Logan had been trained extensively trained in every common martial art and many family styles as well as the dirtiest brawling. His first strike at the kid was a quick deceptive jab meant to distract from his foot stomping his opponent's toes, what he got instead was Ranma throwing his body under the punch, somehow slipping his foot away and stomping Logan's toes. Then with a twist of the heel and a shoulder ramming the wind out of him, Logan was tthrown back into the ground.

Ranma who had rolled beyond the feral man smiled and flashed a victory sign, speaking as flippantly as ever, "I know a bit about dirty old men, don't think I'll let you lay even a toe on me."

The fight continued on, the kid cheerfully pointing out any mistakes in Logans form as he evaded the skilled man. Logan had seen Tai Chi, drunken and monkey style kung fu before; He knew Ninjitsu, Aikido and Jiu Jutsu. This did not help him deal with a kid who was using all of them together seamlessly. Some of Logan's most subtle moves were deflected by a secretive family style taught only to those of Clan Yashida.

Snarling, Logan focused his rage and finally managed to tag the young man cleanly, sending Ranma through a tree. This made Logan pause as the fight reminded him eerily of the goading his former teacher Ogun had put him through. Ranma sat up and popped his neck, yawning theatrically to hide any damage he might have suffered before smirking with the taunt, "A big man that likes to throw all that extra weight he carries around with him, I figured you for the rough type."

Logan growled and tensed his arms, adamantium claws coming out of his hands at the knuckles, "I'd stay down if I were you kid."

Ranma waved his hand at the air making light of his opponent, his voice showing that he was even more unimpressed, "Feh, another tool user who doesn't know how to work with his equipment."

Logan advanced menacingly, grinning as he noted it taking more effort then the young punk let on to stand. Suddenly the young kid had a glowing orb of energy in his hands that flew off into the air where Ranma's eyes were focused. Looking over his shoulder, Logan saw Storm fly back through the knocked out window in order to dodge the projectile. With a cry that "no one interferes in this fight!" Ranma charged Logan who met him claws extended.

It had not been Logan's intention to kill the kid, only leave him a few scars as lessons, but then he caught the eyes of his opponent, and really looked into them. This Ranma had a beast inside him like Logan's, only more restrained. The kid had just had just turned it loose. Aiming for nonvital areas, Logan lashed out, intending to puncture his opponent. He called out as they met, "Kid I'm the best there is at what I do."

The shock of impact was stunning, Ranma held back the feral man, fingers splayed between deadly claws, a death-grip on the man's fists. Pushing his shoulders as far forward as he could. The momentary shock to his claw-wielding opponent was used to deliver seven lightning fast kicks, each landing in a vital area with stone crushing force, followed by a double kick that knocked Logan away and launched him through a tree into unconsciousness. Eyes glazed for a moment, Ranma whispered, "and what you do isn't very nice."

Slumping visibly as his mind focused away from a past memory, his features worn and pale, Ranma still somewhat distracted, coughed before grumbling, "You ain't gonna be poking me with anything in this century old man."

At that very moment, someone appeared behind him and a fiery pain tore into his entire body centered at the flesh of his neck. Twisting instinctually, his own hand flew at this new enemy, fingers splayed out as claws, each tipped in ki. Ranma, committed to strike, was horrified as he caught sight of his attacker, a young woman with a white stripe running through her brown hair…

**To Be Continued.**

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**Notes:** Well I finally decided on how I would make this all play out. It isn't exactly how I wanted it, but I think it works well. I use the old marvel superheroes rpg system to kind of set Ranma's place in the marvel universe. Ranma always seems able to choose exactly the wrong words to convey himself at times, a fact that should make for some confusion amongst those who saw and heard the fight. In the next chapter, I plan to flashback exactly what Ranma remembered from Logan's catchphrase.


	11. Chapter 8: The Memory Remains

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

**

* * *

****Chapter 8: The Memory Remains**

Ranma had already committed to the attack, lethal claws of Ki that could cut through even hardened steel projected from his fingertips. Whatever had hit him felt like someone had tried to barbeque and freeze him at once. It was devouring him. Weeks of work had not placed the powers of the nekoken under complete control yet; instead the instinct to use them was made proportional to the danger they held. Catching sight of the young woman who had apparently attacked him, Ranma had no way to stop himself from tearing apart most of her face.

Everything slowed down to a crawl, the realization and horror on the young woman's face appearing very slowly as Ranma put his entire will into countering his very own body's action. His newfound psionic powers would not be enough, only giving the woman fractions more of a second to live. It way then that the tearing pain through his neck showed more signs of its effect; his will faded away and as his vision too left him, he wondered if it what he glimpsed and felt next were hallucination. The KI powering his claws guttered out and he felt flesh meet his hand and be propelled away hitting a tree with the sound of expelling air and then, there was the darkness.

* * *

Images faded into clarity for Ranma, memories of a time long past, for in them he was perhaps only six and he was in the nekoken. A large predator had just made a kill of a quick hoofed one, a deer. These were not the forests of Japan and Ranma could not place where it might be. His memories were of hunger for the meat. He would steal the fresh kill and run off the man beast that had taken it. It was a human, but like a beast with fingernails like claws, blonde hair, tall and muscled.

With a cry of challenge the nekoken possessed boy slammed into the beast man who was enjoying a piece of his kill's liver, knocking him away from the carcass. Wiping a line of blood away from his chin and licking it, the beastman smiled toothily before ruthlessly attacking. He traded slashes with the boy Ranma seemingly at a loss until the boy noticed how quickly this beastman healed. The growls of the boy's anger made the large man laugh wildly.

The nekoken was fully unleashed now on the beastman, who had stopped tearing at the boy and instead settled for beating him into submission. Finally, the boy fell into a heap of exhaustion certain he would now be forced to watch the man feasts on the cooled carcass. Chunks of the organs and softest meat were dropped in front of him. Only then did the beastman speak, "Boy, you are my kind of animal. Eat and I will teach you how to be a real man too, not some stupid sawed off runt that abandons his brain in favor of his claws."

They traveled for days or weeks, Ranma could not tell because this man did not sleep normally and he was always watching, always pushing the boy Ranma. At some point the man had forced Ranma to speak again, so far it was only names, his own and the man's. Creed was a hard, wild man, dangerous, but determined to train Ranma back into humanity. It way one night when the boy Ranma caught scent of the father man that he was taken away. It was not as Ranma would have expected it; he was not stolen away in the night.

Instead, Genma had appeared as from nowhere before Creed and told him that he would be taking back his son now. Creed of course attacked the fool who would dare challenge him only to have Genma strike out, blades of nothingness slicing through the larger man. Still Creed would not relent his deep wounds healing slowly as he stood. With a swift dash forward kicking Creed's arms out of the way and then slamming a palm over the man's heart, blood and Ki spewing forth from the beastman's back, attacks Ranma recognized as part of the forbidden Yamasenken. Then and there Creed relented forlornly and as Ranma was carried away on Genma's shoulder he saw tears on Creed's face before it hardened, wounds no longer healing so quickly.

* * *

There was a shift and the memories changed, his father was drunk again at a bar. He was outside in an urban slum of some kind. Ducking out of the rain into an alley proved to a mistake for the perhaps nine-year-old boy Ranma. He had come upon a yakuza execution; the man had claws coming out of his knuckles. The shadows and hesitance made the boy not look at the face of the man.

There was a slithery almost metallic sound of a third claw driving into its victim. There was so very much blood, everywhere, even on the killer. The boy Ranma was frozen in fear as the claw wielding man walked up to him. Before he could react a hand was cupping his chin, the man had only two claws out one on either side of Ranma's neck. Looking up, his eyes locked onto the larger man's own.

The man smiled sinisterly and caressed the boy's cheek with a claw on his other hand speaking roughly, "There's some fight in you, I like that. You might be interesting to play with when you are a little older, kid. " The boy growled a little but was held firmly by the man who laughed lowly before letting him go and walking past. The man spoke as he departed, "Just remember pet, when we meet again, I will be the best there is at what I do, and what I will do is not nice."

* * *

Rogue and Nightcrawler had both just arrived on the scene to see Wolverine not only toppled but also knocked unconscious. They sped into action, Nightcrawler teleporting them behind the young mutant assailant. Rogue reached out and grabbed the back of his neck, instantly realizing something was wrong, he, Ranma was not a mutant. The drain could easily kill a normal human, but this was not a normal human either. She felt more then saw his attack coming, unable to respond to it in time, she knew her flesh would not withstand the claws.

Ranma's hand and not claws met her face in a slap with such force that it carried her into the air. Nightcrawler trying to support her only managed to get into the path of her flight, both flung into the trunk of a nearby tree, the air forced from their lungs. Nightcrawler let out a sigh of relief as they both seemed alright and he had somehow managed to not make skin with his teammate. That is until Rogue started screaming and clawing at herself.

Rogue had something inside her, driving into her memories like claws tearing away the facades and illusions she often used to deal with her past. The yowling left her soon but the images would not fade. They were crisp and clear as if she had just lived them. Details overwhelmed her. She remembered Mystique, ruthless but also loving and caring about her. Words from her adoptive mother she had dismissed ringing with truth. Few are truly without their petty moments and those were brought to her now in perfect clarity.

Charles Xavier quickly forced Rogue into a deep dreamless slumber. She had absorbed some of Ranma's psionic gifts and apparently his perfect photographic memory. This added to his tactical mindset and some revenant of the young man's own persona had turned it against her. He quickly called out to his students, getting everyone down to the medical facilities.

As they brought them down he noticed something, a bruise on Ranma's face was slowly fading, not nearly as quickly as one would expect of Logan but certainly faster then in any human he had seen. The Young man's eyes snapped open and he sat up, breaking the leather restraints meant to keep him from falling out of the gurney he had been lying in. The images that were projected from Ranma's mind were disturbing to say the least; Sabertooth seriously wounded and in tears of sorrow and a man that could easily be Logan with a sadistic smile pawing a boy Ranma.

The images and Ranma's very mind faded away from perception not long after he woke. His eyes were apologetic, but determined. Charles had no choice but to let him leave. He escorted the young man to the gates of the school himself, warning away the others who were still unsure of the young man's status. Walking out of the gates, Ranma turned and bowed deeply, there was more of his normal smile as he spoke in parting, "I need to think about some things Sensei, but I would still be honored if you considered me worthy of teaching." Xavier smiled a little himself at the nonchalance before replying simply, "Of course Ranma."

As Ranma walked off into the sinking sun he stopped suddenly and checked his pockets. Pulling out a note pad and scribbling on it he leapt up and over the gate, landing before a somewhat impressed Xavier. Ranma handed the wheelchair bound man a ripped out page from the notebook. One hand going behind his head he spoke much more humbly then, "I forgot to give you my cell number, sorry about that." He then resumed his heroic trek away from the mansion toward the sun.

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**Notes: **So luckily Rogue's powers took effect in time, but also, kind of unluckily. Having a perfect memory with perfect recall does not mean Ranma simply has remembered every moment of his past. I should also state that just because he can recall a scene perfectly does not mean he can always interpret everything. He is still limited to what he actually saw at the time. Next chapter might show just what some of those quirks in Ranma's genetics were, and I am still working out what version of the x-men to use precisely.


	12. Chapter 9: Shadow Players

Disclaimer

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

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****Chapter 9: Shadow Players**

**Kyoto, Japan**

The formal reception room was always kept dark much to Genma's distaste. It was no better then a smoky thieves den to him and what good thief would ever hide in one of those. As always upon the dais sitting with rigid perfection was the lord of clan Saotome, who enjoyed making everyone wait in silence for wasteful periods in order to show his power.

The aged lord wore not traditional garb as expected but instead his original uniform from the days of war long ago. He stared not at Genma but beyond him before finally speaking, "Your son has finally fled to America, as expected."

Genma merely nodded his head in response before the lord continued, "Things are proceeding slowly."

Genma made the lord wait before answering, "I am a fighter sir, all I know about the program is that it takes time."

His superior frowned, but that was not demonstrated in his voice as he spoke, "Perhaps you have played the fool too long for Nerima or are you too busy enjoying the feminine comforts of your Soun Tendo's home to bother encouraging your son's progress further?"

Genma laughed mockingly, "I was trying to be respectful Uncle, not that you deserve it. This means more to me then any vice. You best remember I do not look up to you. I will be sitting in your place soon enough."

The old lord smiled at this, drawing his sidearm in a blur and firing it, only for Genma to be kneeling a pace closer to the dais then he was a moment before, the lead bullet flattened against the floorboards where he had been a moment before. Holstering his pistol, the lord laughed crackingly as he spoke, "Genma, you have always been fierce, a ruler is never ruled by anything but his will. I welcome the day you take my place so long as you also remember that patience is needed. I will not be able to hold my position for so many more years."

Genma bowed his head minutely his voice cheerful as he spoke, "I am patient, and though you have few years left, you should remember that my son is no good to us broken. I will place only enough upon him to ensure success."

"He walked away from Charles Xavier's brood."

"That is expected of him, but I have arranged a few visitors to encourage them back together."

"Visitors?"

"Watch and see, Uncle Shikima."

* * *

**Xavier School for the Gifted, New York**

"You have finished analyzing the test results, Hank," question Charles as he entered the medical facility.

Doctor Henry "Hank" McCoy, also known as the Beast stood and stretched before responding, "It was as you said very intriguing. Everything is there, but the X-gene. I have never seen this occur naturally before."

"But it is natural isn't it," Charles continued with more passion then normal.

Best took off his spectacle and polished them as he answered, "My dear Charles, it may not be engineered, but it certainly is not natural. This can only be Eugenics. He was meant to be a Telepath, and every other characteristic is heightened."

"The propensity is there, yes, but that does not explain the degree to which they are functioning now."

"Logan has said that blast he fired was Chi, an energy derived form the life force perhaps this is substituting for the X-gene. "

"Ranma has worked all his life in training from what I gathered from him, you said there was something more shocking when you asked me to come here though."

"Yes, I have matches for pieces of his genome, It is not really surprising that whoever was breeding to create this boy also used mutants to do so, what is surprising is who I found belonged in his lineage, " so speaking, Hank called up several files showing mutants and their probable relationship to the young man.

"But this…" Charles Xavier found himself stunned speechless.

* * *

**Nerima, Japan**

Akane fumed as Nodoka finished applying first aide to the young martial artist. It had been a rough time recently. The boys had started attacking her for a chance to date again and even Kuno had shown up at the house to speak with Soun about possibly becoming engaged to Akane, as she no longer had any potential suitors, to bar such a thing. It was quite a shock to everyone since Soun told the young swordsman he would have to consider it and speak to the Kuno clan head.

The latest bout of injuries had come from a humiliating loss to a wandering martial artist. The young teen had left in disgust after the match saying he had only fought her because of the reputation of the Tendo Dojo, and the fame Akane's fights had won her. Both were found to be wanting in her opponent's eyes. Nodoka finished her work and then sighed, her voice intoned softly, "Yojiro was a bit more rough then was needed, but he did not consult me before coming."

"You know that, that boy, auntie," exclaimed Akane her teeth clenching.

Nodoka smiled fondly as she spoke, her voice light with reminiscing, "Yes dear, that was my nephew, he likes to challenge a dojo now and again on weekends, with Ranma not here for the foreseeable future, he could not resist testing this one."

"Where does he live? I am going to go pound him," all but demanded Akane, her eyes gleaming in anticipation.

Nodoka sighed again before her words slithered out like a sword being drawn, "That is quite enough Akane. Are you a martial artist?"

"Of course," was her confident reply.

"Then you will accept the loss. Your sign welcomes any challengers, it mentions nothing about you having the right to charge over to someone's home and attack them."

"He cheated!"

"He won, by being better then you. Yojiro-chan has dedicated as much time as he can spare to the art. Where were you yesterday?"

"I was with my friends of course, what does that have," started ask Akane.

Nodoka cut her off suddenly though, "Did they practice the Art with you?"

"No of course not."

"Certainly, they are not martial artists. You spend time with them not practicing. You spend time at the drama club; at what was it, the Manga club? All of your time goes to not practicing."

"I'm in the Dojo every day!"

"Yes, breaking things. If you want to challenge my nephew to a rematch, you will do it properly, do you understand? And you will go seek training from your betters."

Akane stared into the eyes of the elder woman before meekly nodding. Nodoka placed a hand on the younger woman's head; this struck Akane for it reminded her of her mother.

Nodoka's voice was gentle as she whispered now, "Your mother was my only friend as we grew up, wards of Clan Saotome. She was always my better at the polite behavior of society, something you were not taught properly I know. Do you understand, that Yojiro is the head of his household? That he would be forced to treat you as an enemy if you just charged him like a brute? Is your pride so important?" Crying, Akane pulled herself away and ran up to her room. Nodoka could only hope that reason would prevail with the young girl.

**

* * *

**

**Notes:** Well more hinting at some of what has lead up to things beings as they are. Next chapter will have Ranma trying despeerately to get a meal while people continually bother him.


	13. Chapter 10: Furious Fast

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

**

* * *

****Chapter 10: Furious Fast**

Bayville was a nice change from New York City to Ranma. The much more sedate pace allowed him to relax and he had managed to find a nice spot up a tree in the forest to meditate through the night. His battle with the feral killer Logan and the memories that had surfaced after that skunk haired girl touched him would not allow him to really sleep.

The alleyway plagued him, the claw bearing man there was not an exact match for Logan, but a long time had passed. Then there were his father's actions towards the beastman, Creed, it was far easier to just focus on the fight he had had.

The fight had been fast paced, but his opponent was slowed down by the metal Ranma believed coated Logan's skeleton. That was the best fit he had to explain the peculiar extra mass of the mutant and how his punches built up momentum like a man wearing weighted gloves. The claws were different than in his memory, smooth metal instead of porously rough with a metallic feel.

As Ranma had suspected, this Logan lead with his claws once they were unsheathed. Unless an enemy feared those claws though, that was a weakness to be exploited. They were of some strange metal he had never seen before, but what never cuts you, never makes you bleed. Strangely enough this had brought to the surface a memory in which Genma had said just that, while demonstrating against several military men with K-bar knives. It had been outside at a military installation.

Shaking his head, Ranma noticed it was already nearly noon, he had lost track of time again. With memories and created scenarios so very realistic and detailed he had found this to be a problem when he did not remember the trick Castle-sensei had taught him for setting an internal alarm. Looking down on Bayville, it seemed almost welcoming. His grumbling stomach welcomed it back in fact and so he set out to satisfy his hunger.

The streets were busy for a small town and the occasional group of students walking along the sidewalks were clue enough for Ranma refer back to a mental Calendar, it was Saturday. In theory this meant he could blend in with the students get his food and then be about his business, perhaps finding a quick odd job again, before he went back to his apartment. No plan he ever made really worked out as planned it that Ranma could remember but at least the Diner he had found would provide him food before things went wrong.

Sitting down, he waited for the waitress to get to him taking out a notepad and pen. Taking several minutes, he tried to compose a letter to Kasumi. Crossing out what he had just jotted down he looked up expecting the waitress had come only to have a young lady with long red hair sit across from him. This woman seemed to think she was subtle with her mind reading gift as she smile and cheerfully addressed him, "Hi there, I'm Jean." Ranma smiled politely as he answered her, "And you know I am Ranma, but I just want my meal and to be left alone." With that he started to stand up, only to have her place her hand on his.

Continuing to smile, Ranma let a bit of his Ki loose to distract the mutant girl. Her eye glazed over a little, which was not the effect he imagined, would happen at all. He quickly pulled away his hand and walked out of the Diner. There was a griming looking pizza and subs place not far away so it would have to do. The place was better kept inside then out, a sort of imaginary rebels hangout for local teens. Sitting down, he again waited for the waitress who was busy chatting with her boyfriend it in the corner.

Again, he started on his letter. He really owed Kasumi something since he had promised to write, but it had been a bit difficult up till now to find the time. He noticed a tall guy with red glasses walk up to his booth, subtly blocking his exit from it. He had to give these guys credit for being persistent. This one though irked him a little; he could feel power flaring out of the young man's eyes constantly as if he was just waiting to attack.

Stashing his notepad back in his pocket he looked up and smirked, not even letting the guy speak, he slid under his booth and out from under the table. When the guy grabbed for his arm, he dodged out of the way and snagged his glasses. Whatever attack the guy was planning did not go off because he had closed his eyes, at least, but Ranma wouldn't have this guy following him all day. He set the Glasses on the counter and left.

This went on for what seemed like hours to Ranma. The pizzeria had this weird girl who latched onto his arm and when he escaped out of a bathroom had walked through a wall to chase him. Then some guys in uniform jackets with numbers had hassled him about what he was doing with that Jean chick. He had managed to pass up the guy in glasses and this Jean who were waiting for him at a Cantonese Restaurant. All in all he was running out of places to eat when he finally went to the one place he had been avoiding, the burger chain.

Food was food but he tended to avoid these places now out of habit because Nabiki always managed to appear at one he went to and con him out of food. He supposed it was that trained response thing he read about. The best solution though was for him to grab food and carry it away to a nice roof where he could be left alone. The smell of most fast food might be heavenly to most, but it only made him miss the Tendo Dojo and especially the heavenly aroma of Kasumi's cooking. In comparison the burgers laid out before him on the roof were just fodder.

The roof held better scents to it, in fact Ranma's eyes widened at a smell that he registered only with Akane. He had always just thought of it as her shampoo, but there was so much more and his nekoken state remembered her well. Looking up slowly awaiting an attack he was sure to come, his eyes fell on her, Akane. She wore only a cloak that was open enough to half revealed the nudity beneath it.

Ranma was transfixed, Akane there before him a warm blush spreading over her features, and eyes filled with what Ranma could only describe as desire. She stalked ever closer to him, laying one hand on his cheek. With a delicate roll of tongue over her lips, she leaned in and kissed him passionately. Several things went through the frozen young man's mind; he decided then and there about Akane and his future, he realized that this is not how Akane would ever behave uninfluenced and finally, this woman so filled with lustful thoughts had given herself away as someone else.

Pushing the fake Akane away, he watched with sickening fascination as the features melted away into that of his one time challenger copycat ken. Ranma leapt up and lashed out at the shapechanger only to have him fall back, features changing again into that of a blue skinned woman with bright red hair. The shapechanger then held up her hands in surrender winking as she teasingly rolled out her next words, "You would do better if you knew how to kiss back Ranchan."

"You don't call me that, only my friends call me that," yelled Ranma, his foot grinding away at the rooftop.

The woman smiled and struck a pose before answering, "But I am your friend."

"With the kinda games you play lady?"

"You can call me Mystique and take it as your first lesson from a new sensei."

"You? I never asked for you to teach me anything," sputtered Ranma indignantly.

Mystique smiled enigmatically, setting down a handwritten letter addressed to Ranma before she answered, "Ranchan, you are still a Saotome and this is what they want for you, training."

"I don't need no one to teach me how to kiss!"

"Well personally I think you need a lot of work on it, but… I am here to help you deal with people like myself, interrogation can take many forms."

"Interrogating my tonsils wouldn't get you much information."

"It did get me close enough for a moment of weakness though," Mystique trailed off in midspeech and looked behind her before adding, "But those pushy playmates of yours are coming and they do not really like me, I have to admit so expect another lesson soon Ranchan." She then leapt off the building just as Jean levitated herself and the glasses guy up on the roof.

"Scott! Did she see," Jean asked her companion who nodded and looked at Ranma directly with suspicion.

"You know who that was, " Scott all but demanded.

Ranma just casually walked closer to the two and bent down to pick up the letter addressed to him, only to have it float away into Jean's hand.

"Does that Letter have your name or mine on it," Ranma asked quietly, his eyes actually glowing a little with the sunset.

Looking at the letter and then at the young man across from her Jean tried bargaining, "You will answer some of our questions?"

"Do you think I answer thieves," asked Ranma, the one called Scott taking a threatening step forward only to be restrained by Jean.

Ranma smirked in return at the man, but Jean was quite amicable as she continued, "We only want to know why you attacked Logan, no one is telling us anything. Normally when someone attacks one of us they attack us all."

Ranma sighed and shook his head; it was always his fault in anyone's mind no matter what happened. Staring Jean in the eyes, he was a bit surprised to see that she was actually paying attention to him and what he would reply, "I didn't start no fight. I came to ask your head honcho telepath for some help." Turning away from the surprised pair he walked to the far edge of the roof.

"I may not be the best at being polite, but your killer friend should learn not to tackle people through windows," spoke Ranma over his shoulder to them, as he stepped off the roof and vanished.

**

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**

**Notes:** Trouble mounts as is normal for Ranma. I really need to decide what version of the x-men I am using I guess. The next actual chapter should decisively demonstrate that. Reviews are encouraged; feedback is always a help in seeing where I might improve. =)


	14. Interlude 3: By the Letters

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

**

* * *

****Interlude 3: By the Letters**

Inside the envelope delivered by Mystique

Saotome Ranma,

I, Saotome Shikima, clan head bring you greetings Grand Nephew. Your mother was most concerned about your health on such a far abroad journey to hone your skills. She has pleaded with me and I with discourse to your father have agreed to arrange for you a Teacher in the arts of seduction and manipulation.

The world is a trying place Grand Nephew and there are many who would manipulate you for their own gains or in their foolishness. I am aware of much of your tribulations and am proud that you bear the name Saotome. Use this as an opportunity to master these skills that you will need for when you take your place amongst us in the future.

Saotome Shikima

* * *

My Son,

I write to you in high spirits and hope that you will soon receive the gift I have planned for your coming birthday. I know how your heart is drawn ever to new techniques and martial prowess. That is why I have asked for a well-known warrior to meet with you and teach you her trade.

This is the perfect chance for you to learn about romance and to grow into a full man. I know how confusing things can be and so a professional spy and seductress is just what you need to learn from. I know how you like to excel in any and all challenges life brings to you after all.

Of course, I am certain you will appreciate her martial knowledge honed from years of work in covert operations. Just keep in mind, she is the perfect candidate for you satisfy any curiosities you might have in regards to all these young ladies who are so taken with you.

Devoted to you always,

Mother

P.S. Kasumi asked me to remind you not to eat all of the cookies we are sending along with this letter at once dear.

* * *

Dear Kasumi,

I know I have not written to you yet and it has been a long time, but I wanted to have some progress to tell you about. A former Sensei has been helping me train my body and mind to new heights. My old man never really got around to teaching me how to deal with modern weapons beyond sneaking around them. Sensei's rubber bullets have taught me well that I never want to actually be shot.

There is more, but a lot of what he taught me was how to train and rely on myself. I don't have full control of the nekoken yet, but I have made a good start, even if me and Sensei had to part ways. My real problem, what I was told is photographic memory and reflexes are now fully under my control now so I have made a lot of progress I think.

America is a violent place. I guess Nerima is as well, but ya know Kasumi, it's not the same. People here don't have challenges; they have miniature warfare with no concern for others. I've been watching the streets here and there, helping people fight off muggers as needed. I kind of ticked off some spider hero guy, not sure why but he seems to think its okay to jump me.

I am beginning to think it may be my fault though, just yesterday I ended up getting into a fight with a short mean guy who somehow pops out long metals claws from his knuckles. I think they call guys like him a mutant. This one expert and mutant guy my sensei had said I should meet tested me too, but I'm not a mutant, just damn good.

Hey Kasumi, I miss you and the others. I have attached a postage box that you can write back to at. I know I could write more but well, this is good.

Your friend,

Ranma Saotome

P.S. Tell my mom that the new Sensei she sent to help me, reminds me of home in odd ways.

* * *

Saotome-chan,

I bet you never expected me to write you, but Saotome things are so boring here without you. I even sent along something for you to wear and send me a personal picture back, just for me, and maybe I'll share with Kasumi.

Nabiki

*** Hidden inside a thong sent along with the letter ***

Teasing aside, Kasumi had a talk with me and I owe you something Ranma. Your dad made me an offer. I am not really interested in getting married, but I would bet you at least already figured that out. Genma offered to help set me up, the best schools and then a place as a vice president in one of your clan's companies to start. All I have to do is have your kid sometime in the near future.

It's a good deal for me, Ranma, everything I could want, but I can make my own way. My father though, I don't know what he has to do with all this. But he did take me aside and mention that I should consider your father's offer. I'm going along with them for now, but I'm counting on you to figure some of this out too.

Write me back with your next letter to Kasumi. No matter what happens Ranma I am on Kasumi's side and she's on yours.

* * *

Dear Desiree,

I just sort of got a permanent address here, sorry for not writing sooner, but my friend and me were really busy. He managed to teach me a lot of things. I'm sort of speaking with a professor now, who is going to give me a little private tutoring. I can't really visit you again too soon, so I wanted to wish you a happy Thanksgiving.

I will be able to work more on my education since I did promise you and That Physics book you gave me has been most helpful. I've only gotten so far as Calculus, but I plan to be reading the highest-level Physics books by this summer. I enclosed my address so you can write me back.

Your friend,

Ranma

* * *

**Notes:** Just few letters. Who else would call mystique in, unless of course Nodoka had been mislead about her so that she would, knowing Ranma could never disappoint his mother?


	15. Chapter 11: Taking Care of Business

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

**

* * *

****Chapter 11: Taking Care of Business**

Ranma dusted his hands off and looked over the wreckage, shaking his head before stalking forward. The two-story apartment building was sill partially standing in a few places and it was up to him to get the job done. "The clock is tickin after all," he muttered to himself as he charged forward. Sounds of destruction filled the neighborhood, some of which only a select few would identify as kicks and punches. Finally, Ranma had finished, he walked over to his lunchbox and put on a hardhat marked 'NWC'.

He honestly appreciated Nabiki's insight into things, why not get paid for what you were good at, after all. She had helped him set up a nice legal business here in New York and it hadn't cost him that large of a percentage either. The sole employee of 'Nerima's Wrecker Crew' made short work of scooping up the remains of the building into rubble bins. A full days pay for a full days work was kind of nice, well a full day's pay for a full company minus management fees of course.

When the city workers arrived to pick up the rubble, Ranma was taking down the privacy screens, ostensibly there for safety. An older worker called out to him, "Hey kid, they always leave you with the cleanup?"

Ranma grinned and wiped the sweat off his brow, "Well ya know how it is, newest guy an all."

"Well you're doin good nough, they'll have some other new guy soon, always do."

"Naw then I'd be losin out on some of the extra I get in my paycheck," The young man said as he came over and helped get the bin ready to be hauled off.

The old worker shook his hand and replied as he was about to drive off, "Well you keep at it then, good to see someone makin something of themselves."

Ranma gave him a thumbs up before packing his gear into a small truck and driving it off to a local storage. He had spent a week now on this venture, after spending a week getting to know the ins and outs of local construction. New York seemed to always need someone to clean up a mess or take down a condemned building so he had no worries about money for a long time to come.

It was late evening by the time he got back to Bayville; Ranma had taken up residence on the seedier side of downtown, in an old abandoned storefront. The only problem with this area was the local street traffic, but they learned to leave him alone, well usually. A new girl approached him as he was unlocking his door.

There was little doubt what profession she was in from her dress and the look in her eyes said it all. She managed to say it anyways, "You want to invite me in stud?"

Ranma looked her over appraisingly before shrugging his shoulders and holding the door open for her speaking lowly, "After you then, miss. "

She sauntered in as he closed and locked the door behind them whistling appreciatively.

Ranma smirked as he normally did when a battle was clearly in his favour, his voice ringing with confidence, "That is a terrible disguise Mystique."

The shapeshifter revealed herself changing into her normal blue skinned form before finding a chair and slinking into it. She looked up at Ranma coyly, her voice full of playfulness, "The situation was a bit off my dear, but you should be more careful then to just assume."

"New girls are warned off approaching me, no one wants to hear me go on and on about improving themselves around here. You also went into a place you didn't know too well and you smelt too clean. It was a bad disguise," Ranma described as he leaned against a wall.

Mystique shifted her legs about slowly and smiles slyly, "I got you last week with that age-old poor waif needing help con."

He just leaned there hands against the wall no sign of reaction as he replied, "That was last week, and no you didn't fool me earlier either. Makin something of myself… you seriously think that much effort in disguising yourself makes a difference?"

At this Mystique stood up and looked him over warily, her voice was controlled, but he could tell something was off, "Ranma I didn't visit you today and you sound certain."

Ranma stood up and looked her over, "You still are trying to figure out how I do it, huh? Or are you serious?"

"I am serious. I was not near you today, I promised to leave your job alone," her voice was flat with just a hint of regret at being so easily mistrusted.

"It was someone who wasn't what they appeared to be. That kind of explains why they weren't coming off as you," Ranma finished with another smirk at his own purposeful vagueness.

Mystique pouted a little and slinked over to him, her voice now low and sensuous, "You could tell me the details of how you do it?"

"You could tell my mom what a wonderful student I am and how very manly I am able to be," retorted Ranma.

Lightly tapping his lips with her index finger, she then wagged it back and forth slowly in time with her voice, "You just refuse to show me though."

"Use your imagination, be creative and get her to stop sending me letters about it."

Sighing at last she stepped back and posed for him before, "Fine, explain to me how you can see through my acts and all you have to do is prove you can seduce someone. Let us say, a few romantic dates with girls around your age, fair enough?"

Ranma worked the idea over in his head, there would be a catch of course but there always was with this covert operations and espionage specialist his mother had found to train him. He held out his hand and shook hers before explaining how she could change her shape, she could hide her mind, but her aura was a deep contrast, showing things that did not always match her new shape and revealing her to him.

This took Mystique by surprise of course, she had not anticipated such a weakness in her ability, one that Ranma assured her only a very skilled and trained person could detect. This would mean changing her plans somewhat, but she could adapt and so now Ranma was staring at her, shocked look on his face.

"You want me to date.. huh? You hate the X-men," Ranma sputtered.

"Yes, I want you to convince and take out at least two of the members of the X-men, separately and real dates, one this weekend, the other on the next weekend. Should be easy if you really have learned all your stuff, right," Mystique asserted challengingly.

Ranma knew he was being baited, it felt oddly like being back at home, but a few dates wouldn't be a problem, it would show this sneaky lady and then his mom would be satisfied, so he nodded firmly and agreed, "Fine deal is a deal."

The next day found him bundled up in a sweater and meeting Charles Xavier in the park, the winter season could be felt to have truly begun now and there was a light snow coating everything. It had been agreed that they would meet in the park a sort of neutral territory for lessons, but this was not working out so well for the winter and while the older man ignored it, as did the woman with long white hair that accompanied him, Ranma was sure it must have been a real inconvenience.

Charles rolled up to the stone picnic table Ranma had cleared off and shook his head minutely at the offered cup of cocoa in the young man's hand.

"Ranma, there will be no lessons today, I know we agreed on it but the weather is going to turn for the worse," Xavier said with a calm even tone.

"Yeah, but can't your friend fix that," asked Ranma, gesturing at the Charles' companion.

"Yes, but Ororo need not tax herself, I have the full report on your genome for you and I think you should take some time to understand it," Charles replied as he took out a laptop and set it before Ranma.

Ranma went through the report thoroughly, sitting there for minutes before Ororo broke the silence with her authorative voice, "You have no idea what this means do you?"

Ranma held up a sign out of nowhere that read 'Bingo!' He was really starting to enjoy studying techniques from his memories, besides giving the sign to this Ororo, codenamed Storm he remembered her being called when he fought Logan and watching her marvel over it was entertaining. Charles as usual managed to keep his surprise to a minimum, a sort challenge Ranma found amusing.

"Very interesting Ranma and I had surmised it would be difficult for you to read the report in this form, you may keep the laptop, it has copies of the texts and papers you will need to understand genetics," explained Charles, with a real smile that held a bit of a challenge.

Ranma closed the laptop and then bowed his head a little to the older man, replying hesitantly, "Thank you for the gift, I realize I have been a difficult person to help and if you want we can start meeting at your home for lessons. I err have a question though."

Looking over the subdued young man carefully, Charles guessed, "Why not just tell you the results of the test myself?"

At Ranma's nod, his current teacher explained, "You value truth and hard work, I value these things as well. The results were unexpected; my colleague, dr. McCoy and I have concluded you have several immediate ancestors of whom we have genetic files. "

"So, you mean famous super heroes from my homeland maybe," Ranma questioned curiously.

Charles smiled a bit more broadly, he wanted the young man to find answers for himself so that he could believe in them, but he also wanted to throw Ranma a shock or two. The game the young man played at trying to surprise him was after all one way of trying to connect with others. Reaching over to the laptop and typing, several files on the young man's lineage opened, each with a prominent picture, name and genetic relation listed right at the beginning.

Storm dropped the sign she had been toying with in the snow her eyes wide, Ranma whipped his head back and forth from the screen to Charles Xavier trying to see if this was some sort of joke. "But that's n…" Ranma stopped speaking midsentence, too shocked to continue.

**

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****Notes:** The mystery! Well and the fun of a nice cliffhanger. I will have the next chapter done soon in which much will be revealed, suffice it to say a secret or two of the Saotome clan at least.


	16. Chapter 12: All in the Genes

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

**

* * *

****Chapter 12: All in the Genes**

It had been a wracking three days and nights with little rest for Ranma, He had memorized every text in the laptop quickly enough, of course understanding took more time then that. There were places where the texts contradicted each other, where research papers had disproven one assumption or another. It had been a real mess to sort through, and a new challenge for his perfect memory. Castle-sensei and Ranma himself hadn't thought how much trouble conflicting information would be for him.

It had been three in the morning amidst a fresh fall of snow when he had found himself before the gates of Charles Xavier's school. He had pieced some information together in his sleep that had roused him immediately. Charles summoned by Ranma telepathic request, had let him in without remark, leading him down to the Laboratory and leaving him to work out things on his own.

Doctor Hank McCoy, the Beast, was prepared for a new day of studying a rather fascinating Genome, coffee mug in clawed hand when he entered the primary scanning lab. The very subject of his work was facing away from him, busy with a holographic model of some sort of biological complex while wearing only his boxers. Ranma raised a hand in greeting, but did not turn away from the holographic model. Hank was a bit uncertain whether he should greet the young man, many did not take well to Hank's beastly appearance after all and it would not do to spook the lad.

Ranma called out absently to the man behind himself, "Yo, I ain't scared of nothin, but I might sort of need your help with this, Doc."

Doctor McCoy cautiously approached and set down his coffee mug, looking over the model, it depicted a strand of DNA being spliced by an unknown biological agent.

"You see doc, I scanned myself again, but the two scans didn't quite match so I tried again, same result, " Ranma chatted away before turning his head and adding, "See, I've seen much stranger things, no worries… err wait you didn't say I would be spooked, you thought it right?"

Hank smiled while replying, "Quite certainly, Ranma I believe it is?"

"Yeah errrr, sorry about that, I've been distracted. I haven't been able to get this, " Ranma gestured before to the model before continuing, "Since I found it as part of a specialized T-cell in my blood. The same ones I believe are supposed to be responsible for heightened healing factors in most studied cases."

Looking through the first scan of Ranma and then the ones that the system logged him doing himself properly, Hank McCoy turned to the young man, his voice filled with curiosity, "This changes the interpretation of the previous data, I suppose it was a wasted effort compiling probable blood relationships between you and the others."

Shaking his head Ranma brought up a complex scan of the splicing factor before speaking, "Well no, it doesn't add things in where there's already information, see? Its all in those nonsense areas."

Hank looked over the model with a bit of shock; this was nothing less then high-end genetic modification. It would have had to have been implemented before Ranma was even born in fact. The technology simply did not exist then, not for humans at least. Thus began a true adventure in science for Hank McCoy, alongside a very interested young man who simply had an encyclopedic memory with regards to genetics and mutations, both quickly losing track of the time.

It was well into the afternoon and all of the students had returned from Bayville high school. Charles Xavier had been patient, but with no word from his… from Ranma, in so many hours he decided to look on the young man himself. Charles had been keeping his telepathy away from the underground areas and so upon entering the Lab he was surprised to see Beast and Ranma chatting away as they both studied several genetic models.

Hank cheerfully pointed to one of the models as he spoke, "You see, just a few hours of proximity and the one time I touched your shoulder was all it took Ranma. I imagine expression will be muted but you have inherited the key components that make my form unique, well except for the X-gene. I can't quite see how… aww professor!"

Charles nodded, his voice carefully neutral, "Ranma, I see Hank was helping you with your tests, are you satisfied with the results?"

Ranma shrugged and turned to face Xavier a smile on his face as he spoke, "oh err sorry about that. I knew you were being honest with me as soon as I read through the files you showed me at the park."

This really did catch Charles off guard, and the look of shock was priceless, something he was certain Ranma had intended. After a moment Charles managed to ask the youth, "If you did not need to verify that I was your grandfather and the others, what did you need to study?"

Hank looked to Ranma who nodded. "Professor perhaps I can explain,' Hank waited for Charles to acknowledge him before continuing, "It would seem that Ranma is indeed your grandson, as well as Cain Marko's as well as distantly related to Logan, but what troubled the young man was the genetic traces of several people he had come into contact with here. They were not coincidental. In fact, they were added by this quite unusual mechanism of his biology."

Charles looked over the display, lost in thought for several moments, before speaking at last, "These additions are all dormant, and no X-gene has been added via the same process. This is more advanced genetic tampering then I would have expected possible."

"It is not so far as we can tell, the code has no artificial elements in it," Hank explained.

Charles started to reply but stopped himself, turning his head to face Ranma as he suggested, "That hardly seems possible, but I think first some time away from the Lab might be best. There is no rush really is there Ranma?" With the young man's nod, Charles led them away.

* * *

**Kyoto, Japan**

Shikima Saotome, clan head sat in his dark study rereading the report from his nephew Genma. In fact, it was the first report that Genma had ever made. Always before Shikima had had to rely on his the people sent to shadow Genma and his son on their training journey. Genma always stuck with the plan for his boy as directed, but never quite how one would expect.

When ordered to cause the boy a major mental and physical trauma, he chose the Nekoken training. Genma used mind-wiping techniques stolen from his master or the amazons, rather then conventional hypnosis with the assistance of drugs. He never got his hands so dirty directly that he would be unable to turn everything he had done onto someone else. It was a quality Shikima noted early on in Genma's life. At last he bade his nephew enter after keeping him waiting a mere ten minutes.

The lord looked at his nephew severely, his voice firmly authoritative, "Genma, your son has yet to acquire the X-gene."

Genma simply shrugged his shoulders and sat in a chair without even asking permission, his voice held not a single care, "This is not my fault Uncle, I see you read my report so you know I am at least seeking to remedy the problem within a generation if things go badly."

"Your solution seems nothing more then an attempt to satisfy your own desires," accused Shikima, a touch of contempt creeping into his voice.

Genma merely smiled at the man's minor loss of control before replying, "One of your little researchers should be along with a report agreeing with mine soon enough. If Ranma cannot acquire the gene, then we will need to attempt breeding solutions."

"How do you expect to acquire Akane Tendo without anyone being suspicious," the old lord finally questioned after staring into Genma's eyes for several minutes.

His nephew's face burst into a wide grin, his voice filled with satisfaction, "Wait and see Uncle, you will be amused. Why just stop at one goal, when I can achieve many."

* * *

**Nerima**

Akane finished her twelfth repetition of the new kata Genma had shown her before leaving on his trip. It was different from the others her father had taught, much different, but he had taught Ranma and she was sure he could help someone like her even more. Oh when Ranma got back, she planned to teach him the honor of a real martial artist. He would pay for attacking Ryouga and her P-chan with buses.

Nabiki just stared at her sister; she had finally found a moment where even she was shocked. Akane had apparently decided to take up anything goes exotic dancing and with that silly grin on her face she was really enjoying it. Not a style Nabiki would normally admit to knowing, she hoped her sister would improve quickly, at least in flexibility. In her hand was a challenge letter addressed not to Ranma for once but instead to Akane. It would be a delicate situation, a public fight at Furikan high school with Kodachi Kunou, but as always a lot of profit could be earned for the household.

* * *

**Atlanta, Georgia**

Reading over his letter for the second time, Desiree sighed and wished summer would come sooner, for her to see Ranma again. There was just something about him that drew her in that went beyond saving her those attackers in the park. Even this letter itself seemed to hold a bit of this quality, holding it in her hands, reading it close, she couldn't help but fantasize.

The young woman was far off into her fantasies, but even if she had been perfectly alert she would not have been able to save herself. Her abductor had been watching since she came into the room. It was not so much a matter of lying in wait as enjoying a show from someone who had no idea they were being observed. Then a cloth was over her mouth, a few moments and she was unconscious. Days later, a friend would call in the police who would investigate the sudden disappearance of one Desiree Washington. The only clue they had was a personal letter lying open on her bed.

**Notes: **I hope with the secret of Ranma's genes and new relatives revealed, it was more then was expected. I appreciate any and all reviews; they help me a lot, especially in seeing how well I am conveying the story I want to tell. Also, sadly I was a bit late on this post from being ill but I hope to get back into the swing of things as it were and will have another chapter out soon. All I shall say for now is Ranma.. in a thong. =)


	17. Chapter 13: Luck be a Lady!

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

* * *

**Chapter 13: Luck be a Lady!**

**Manchester, New York**

It had occurred to Ranma after his apparent grandfather, Charles Xavier suggested he look around the mansion and meet the students there that tomorrow was Friday and this was the perfect chance to fulfill Mystiques conditions. Honestly he didn't really feel like luring anyone into a romantic date, but it would make his mother happy in the end and that was what was important. Besides, going out with a few young ladies and not having urban combat situations develop would be a nice change of pace.

To that end, he had taken the entirety of Mystiques lessons and worked them into how he might succeed. The heated and enclosed Olympic pool was perfect for operation: Get a Date! Of course, he got strange looks from the teenagers there for slapping himself across the head suddenly. His Pops and Mister Tendo were a bad influence that he would do his best not to emulate even in his thoughts.

Taking off a robe he had found in the changing room and setting it down, Ranma walked over to the diving board with a bit of a strut, consciously ignoring what he was wearing and the looks it was garnering. Nabiki who while she enjoyed teasing him had always also enjoyed watching him work out, had even sent him the thong so he was certain it would work for his purposes. The fact that one of the guys was also watching him a bit too closely was slightly disturbing. Slinking out onto the board Ranma used it to leap up some twenty feet to the ceiling of the enclosed pool, touching his feet lightly to it before diving perfectly into the pool. Surfacing he gave the onlookers a cocky wave, before swimming to the side of the pool casually. The bait set, he waited to reel them in.

Suddenly a younger boy was all around him, literally, the same voice eerily coming from different places with different exclamations, "that's so cool!" "Wow!" "You can show me how to do that right!" "Come on this way to the gym!" Thus Ranma was dragged away from his mission by an enthusiastic multiple kid. He found himself teaching the young boy, Jamie for several hours before he finally managed to exhaust his erstwhile students. Ranma decided 'Plan B' would have to serve him.

**Friday Night**

The fresh scent of new snow was in the air, the moon shown down from a pitch-black sky that contrasted with the world below. The cold outside was just imagined in the warmed restaurant with its grand view a of a natural landscape and Ororo Munroe thought it might be more comfortable out there then opposite the too youthful Ranma. They had been chatting for over an hour alternating tales of different lands with surprising customs.

The most discouraging thing was the amount of hostility she could see in the looks of some of the patrons, white haired women who were on a date with a teenager definitely went beyond the bounds of what they would tolerate. She would have turned him down when he asked her, but he suddenly had these adorable sparkling eyes. It had been impossible to say no to his innocent seeming request to get out of the mansion with him and talk about the places they had been.

"So now Kirin and Lychee would send us pickles every so often and I'd send them notes on the latest challengers and Kasumi's old fashion magazines," Ranma finished after telling the story of his visit to Nekonron, China. He frowned slightly at his dinner companion's drifting eyes and leaned in a little to speak more guardedly, "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I just felt like I've been intruding in your home and maybe swapping stories would clear the air between us, and be fun of course."

Ororo shook her head and sighed, "There is nothing you need do to make yourself acceptable Ranma. "

He smiled winsomely, "Still doesn't mean I can't try an be friendly right?"

His companion for the night smiled for a moment and then faltered, after which he added a bit loudly, "You know the way these people act is kinda sad. It shows just how perverse their thoughts are the way they openly scowl and suppose things."

Ororo noted several people deliberately keeping their eyes off the table now and it seemed strange except then she had noticed the rather superior smirk Ranma had and that he had not been really speaking so much loudly as compulsing people to hear his words.

She smiled a bit more in spite of herself before trying to admonish him, "You know Ranma, that is sweet but you should not use your powers on people."

He carelessly shrugged which made the muscles of his body ripple in ways that almost distracted her from his words, "I didn't make them do anything but hear me, now they're all interested in not hearing or seeing anymore all on their own."

She was about to continue her point when she realized her throat was dry and reached for the carafe of juice between them at just the moment Ranma had, both jerking their hands away just as they touched. He gestured to her whispering contritely, "Sorry. I'm not the best guy for makin friends."

Ororo smiled, her discomfort lessened as his became so clearly evident. She filled her glass and then his own, her movements exemplifying the peculiar grace she had developed in certain trades. Ranma's smirk was not quite as overwhelming as when he was in a fight, but it spoke well of a sudden understanding he had of her. His voice was a bit jovial as he started speaking again, "You know I bet we have a lot more'n common then you think. Some things that no one else at my grandfather's house does."

Ororo's expression was showed her confusion and curiousity as much as her voice, "oh do tell, Ranma."

His expression was that of someone who had a winning hand at a card game but was unable to hide it, "Yeah, I was trained as a thief when I was a kid too. My Pop tried telling me it was trainin and that worked till I got a bit older."

Ororo was a bit shocked for a moment and then realized that she and this younger man did have something fairly unique in common, and so they began to honestly trade stories of their childhood, something that would last them far into the night even as they decided to walk the long distance back to the mansion.

**Saturday Morning**

Everyone was up for breakfast except Storm, she had slept in late, but the morning meal had still been made, though quite differently then the students were expecting. Rice and a thin tasty soup, something Kitty said was Miso. There was also grilled fish in dainty proportions. The unique meal had been left waiting for them with a note from its maker, Ranma. He had apparently run back to his apartment to take care of some minor business, yet not even the security system had recorded his leaving. Logan who had been more broody then normal ate with a gusto compared to everyone else's hesitance. The wolverine kept to himself as everyone else gossiped about last night's date endlessly, some of the girls with a touch of envy.

This was interrupted by the security alarms for the mansion going off as well as the gate buzzer. Both things happened to be related, the security system had detected a known mutant enemy, who was at their front gate using the intercom politely. That is to say he only hit it a few times, the not so intruding, intruder being Sabertooth after all. His gruff voice made it clear what he wanted, even if Logan was already dashing out to meet his adversary, "Send out Ranma, me and the boy have some talking to do… heh yeah that's right, This is where I say… please." He followed his request by ripping the intercom out of place and tossing it over the gate to be fried by motion sensitive lasers.

**

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****Notes:** dates and visits from old friends, do you think Xavier knew what he was getting into with his erstwhile grandson. Logan is going to have even more of a cheerful time. The question is what could go wrong(or is it right) next!


	18. Chapter 14: Secret Agent Mutant

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

* * *

**Chapter 14: Secret Agent Mutant**

Lasers burning through the remains of machinery and the guttural growling of Logan, the resident hard case instructor of Xavier's School for the Gifted ruined what would have been a peaceful snowy morning. For his part Sabertooth merely waited on the other side of the estate's gate, a superior smirk on his bestial face. He simply waited until his adamantium clawed opponent had leapt over the barrier and was coming down at him claws first. Then grabbing the gate, Sabertooth wrenched it open knocking Logan away, rasping out as he did so, "Didn't you hear runt, I'm looking for Ranma Saotome. We have personal business. I'll come back for you some other time."

Logan bared his teeth and mocked, "Did I hear right, Creed? You backing out like a coward."

Sabertooth charged at the taunt, Logan as well, it was a slightly familiar moment as Logan had both of his wrists grasped and rather then continue the fight; Sabertooth tossed him back over the wall of the school. Landing on two feet and one hand, Logan prepared to leap back into battle, especially after seeing his enemy standing there laughing at him. He felt himself slipping into a berserker rage when suddenly like ice water down his back he heard the professor in his head, 'enough of this.' It had apparently been heard by Sabertooth as well who was no longer laughing and looked irritated.

Professor Xavier sat in his wheel chair besides the remnants of his fried intercom staring intently at Sabertooth as he spoke, "You will explain yourself, Mr. Creed."

With a growl of his own and a grimace, Sabertooth answered, "You can stay out of my head baldy, I came here to speak with Ranma Saotome."

The professor continued to eye Sabertooth, "What do you want with boy, Mr. Creed?"

"Its private business, you know what that is don't you? Or do you just sneak a peek in everyone's head any chance you get," sneered the feral man as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"What do you want with my Grandson," asked Charles Xavier vehemently.

Creed smiled ferally as he quipped, "Well I want for him to have gotten someone else's genes when it comes to hair…"

Before he could go on a military grade helicopter flew in and the sounds of weapons being cocked could be heard from the surrounding area. G.W. Bridge agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. slid down a rope from the helicopter. He turned to Sabertooth commanding, "Agent Creed, you were not sent here to start a world war, where is Ranma Saotome?"

Before anyone else could answer, Creed saluted crisply though his voice was full of sarcasm as he answered, "Boy isn't here, he would have come out to see me by now. I tried to warn you they'd attack me first and ask questions later."

Bridge tapped a button at his collar and spoke into a throat mike, "Entry to the target's apartment is a go," before he turned and looked at Xavier superiorly, "Grandson or not, I have a warrant to capture Ranma Saotome for questioning. I suggest your people put whatever problems you have with Agent Creed behind you and cooperate."

For his part Sabertooth added in, "I'm sure we will have plenty of time, since you just sent that strike team to the hospital, sir."

**Ranma's Apartment, Downtown Bayville, NY**

There was a serious lack of entry points to the building, only the windows of the storefront, a roof hatch and a backdoor. The elite Shield agents took at three simultaneously. The steel back door was set with a spring system so that when it was kicked in, it launched back out slamming the team down and dropping flashbang grenades at their feet. The roof hatch spewed out tear gas followed by a flashbang as well. Finally, the interior of the storefront became a mass of confusion as paint sprayed out of dummy sprinklers coating the intruders.

The next thing the strike force inside the storefront knew a teenage black haired boy was beating them into unconsciousness. Things were going in the young man's favor until the second squad arrived and started shooting beanbags and arcs of stunning electricity his way. After several moments of dragging away their unconscious, and fiercely holding off the young warrior they had finally cornered him. The remaining conscious lieutenant called out, "Ranma Saotome, you are wanted for questioning by S.H.I.E.L.D. You will lie on the ground and come with us, or we will be using more lethal methods."

Just as she was saying this the sound of a sack falling on the ground made the lieutenant turn to see, the black haired young man, Ranma Saotome, cracking his knuckles and muttering, "Look what you did to my home." The next few moments were followed by sounds of metal being twisted, ceramic armor cracking as well as the peculiar sound of a human whose limbs are folded in less then comfortable ways. Groans filled the battered building as an angry man's voice came over a personal radio, "Is Saotome, in custody? Report… Report!.. Report dammit!"

Ranma helped his double up who had taken a few of the stunning arcs of electricity to their abdomen, he sighed and shook his head before speaking, "Do I really look like that Mystique?"

The shapeshifter assumed the form of the young lady she had used to trick him and smiled seductively as she replied, "I still need to see a few things to make it perfect."

Laughing a little nervously he spoke quickly, "This does not look like a good time for getting my measurements. You better go before more of these guys come back."

With a coy look she sauntered out of the store turning only to remark, "Of that you can be certain, Ranma. You might want to be careful yourself, these guys are an international law enforcement agency."

Mystique made herself scarce as quickly as ever, while Ranma just muttered to himself about his luck. It wasn't long before someone else showed up, a big large framed man that Ranma was certain he had dreamed of or at least remembered from long ago. The man made no threatening gestures though he did survey the unconscious agents with a bit of a smile before speaking to Ranma, "It's been a long while boy. You've grown up better then I thought with your bastard of a father."

Ranma's eyes seemed to go to slits and his voice was ragged as he spoke one word, "Crrreed."

Sabertooth smiled for just a moment then, not viciously, just a smile no one who knew of him would expect, his voice was gruff as ever as he spoke though, "You have to come in with me, the agency has questions about a missing frail… you know her, Desiree Washington."

Ranma's eyes glazed even more before sharpening, "wha… come on then." He was suddenly walking out of the building Sabertooth matching stride with him not seeming too annoyed at the boy's sudden forcefulness, more amused.

**Ten hours later in a secure interrogation room**

G.W. Bridge yelled at the young man in front of him, "We are going to go over this until you give me the truth! We know you came into the country illegally, then you get set up with a nice and authentic green card but it is all dirty the way it happened so fast. You work for someone and I want to know who!"

Ranma had been left in the room for six hours alone in a pair hand restrains and some sort of stupid collar, then they had sent in a woman to ask him questions. They decided to send some guy in and ask the same questions, ignoring his requests for information on Desiree. Finally this old self-important blowhard with a goatee had come in, and started demanding real answers. In a low growl he questioned the man, "Where's Crrreed, I want to talk to him, he said my friend was in trouble."

Bridge just sneered back, "Agent creed is being debriefed about his relationship with you now, as for Desiree Washington, obviously she isn't important enough to you to give me the truth. Who do you work for?"

That had been the last he could take, clutching his hands into fists he tried to tear apart his cuffs only to receive thousands of volts dumped into his body, as his convulsed on the floor, Bridged bemusedly spoke to him, "We have ways of dealing with your kind, so start talking kid and you might see the light of day again."

Eyes going to slits, Ranma stared up at the man, seeing into him, seeing some sort of key that fit into the arm restraints and collar. Reaching out, the key flew out of the man's shirt pocket tearing it open and into the restraining device with a twist springing it open. Ranma was on his interrogator in an instant. Bridge put up a fight jabbing his thumb at his young assailant's throat only to have it bit into deeply.

The older man grunted in pain, but was already starting to fight back only to stagger to his knees as his legs gave out. His eyes focusing in on the young man's hand or rather the claws of energy sprouting from his fingertips. Ranma's other hand was holding the man up by his frizzy short hair. There was something disparagingly inhuman to the young man's normally pleasant voice, as he spoke, "You don't seem to care at all about my friend Now you talk, tell me what happened to her, or you can do without your legs for say as long as you planned on keeping me from seeing the light of day."

Bridge grimaced, ignoring the pain for the most part, "You better just let me go kid, and hope nothing you did was permanent. You're in enough trouble as it is."

With a flex of his hand, Ranma's claws twitched towards his captive's eyes. The young man was about to continue his questioning when the interrogation door opened and in walked an older man with an eye patch and the look of a veteran soldier. When he spoke it was a simple and clear voice of command, "Son, G.W. would rather swallow his own tongue then talk, put him down and I'll answer your questions."

Looking the man in the eye Ranma dropped his captive and walked over to sit on the mostly intact interrogation table. The one eyed man looked over Bridge and then questioned Ranma, "What about his legs kid?"

Having calmed down Ranma smiled a bit crookedly, "Oh err, give them a few hours and they'll be as good as new. "

Creed came in then and picked up Bridge carrying him of, only catching Ranma's eye a moment reassuredly.

"Let's start this out right, you're Ranma Saotome, Martial artist. I'm Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD. Agent Creed seemed to think G.W. would make a mess of things, so here I am. I'll answer your questions if you tell me why you suddenly pulled up stakes in Japan and came here," the one eyed man explained, though his voice was definitely more used to commanding then making requests.

With a gesture, Ranma called up his claws and explained, "I had a martial arts technique go wrong on me sort of… I needed to get away from people who liked to ambush me and otherwise stress my life out so I could get a handle on it before someone got hurt. I knew a guy here, he taught me a lot about control in the past so I came looking for him to teach me more."

"Frank Castle, being this old teacher," inquired Nick Fury as he stared at the young man with his one good eye.

Ranma nodded and added, "yeah, didn't know anything about what he was up to, not till we parted ways. He helped me out though."

Fury nodded but then further questioned Ranma, "I have four squads in the infirmary because of you, you think I am just going to forget that?"

"Hey man, they didn't say who they were and you know someone could have just knocked on my door and asked me nicely," answered the young man as he sat there with not a bit of worry showing.

Fury's response was to take out a piece of paper in a sealed plastic bag and set it on the table beside Ranma. It was immediately apparent that the piece of paper was a letter Ranma had not long ago sent to Desiree; only his name had been scratched out with what looked like dried blood. "This is why we went after you, kid. You're the only clue we have to the abduction of Desiree Washington and her father an influential Senator is coming down hard on us to find her," Nick Fury finished speaking only to note Ranma was tracing his fingers over the plastic, surprise and a hard cast in his eyes.

"Show me where she was taken from sir," was Ranma's only response

**

* * *

****Notes:** So a little bit more of a serious Ranma. The next chapter will be filled with even more fun, an annoyed wolverine, a smug(ger) Sabertooth, and all sorts of sleuthing.


	19. Chapter 15: Stalking Prey

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

* * *

**Chapter 15: Stalking Prey**

**

* * *

**

**Sunday Morning 04:00 - Atlanta, Georgia**

It was far warmer in Atlanta then Bayville, not a trace of snow, like stepping back a few months and finding autumn again. G.W. Bridge paced angrily in the hallway, while the supposedly reformed psychopath Creed leaned against a wall and watched him. It had been more then embarrassing, having some punk kid to catch him like that, bad Intel aside. The Director of Shield dressing him down had been much worse. Somehow Creed had gotten Fury to take up for the little freak.

G.W. was just left in charge to follow them along and help them with whatever they needed department wise if some information could be turned up. The teen may have told him to wait outside but he had resources. That is why unbeknownst to Creed or Saotome, an Agent was watching the room with infrared, while Saotome 'investigated' it alone. Bridge knew the kid was in this entire abduction deep, probably hired some thugs to rescue the girl from to get in her good graces. Now he just had to wait for Saotome to slip up and then Nick Fury couldn't bail him or that mutant killer creed out of this.

Ranma meanwhile was sniffing around Desiree's apartment, literally. There was the faintest scent of a brand of cologne from Japan, but that was it. The lack of things was important in this case though, especially to Ranma. There should have been a residue of Ki in the room, a hint of life force especially Desiree's. There was instead a sort of hazy void, the kind left by one technique he knew very well. The original Umisenken invisibility technique left a void like this and sitting around the room while using it would make the Ki impressions in the room bend away.

With a wave in the general direction of the person spying on him, Ranma walked out of the room and right to the glaring Commander Bridge. Ignoring the ire of the taller man, Ranma spoke as if he as in charge, "You get somebody to find my old man, Genma Saotome, he's staying at the Tendo Dojo, Nerima Prefecture of Tokyo." Shaking in outrage, bridge stood there as Ranma started walking off, calling over his shoulder, "Hey, you can have a seizure later, I need to get who was here out of my old man, since he taught them."

**09:00 - S.H.I.E.L.D. base somewhere in Georgia**

Ranma stood there waiting until finally an image came on the monitor. Genma sat in a chair with a black hood over his head twitching a bit nervously.

"Hey old man, let's make this quick who'd ya teach the thief's cloak ta," Ranma demanded in Japanese.

Genma looked about in seeming confusion while answering, "Boy where are you? How could you let these people do this to your innocent father?"

Ranma snorted before yelling back, "Cut the crap pop. Who'd ya teach the forbidden techniques to? Nothin I can do for ya if you won't talk."

"Now Ranma, come on be reasonable, you and me have nothing to do with this. We should just let these nice people sort things out and go home so you can marry your fiancée. Think of your honour." Genma droned on with his usual spiel.

He seemed about ready to continue until Ranma cut him off, "Someone break his fingers."

"H-hey.. son don't be hasty now. I only showed the kid a few things."

"details pop, Details are going to save us a lot of time and pain here."

Sweating nervously Genma held his fingers tightly into his hands to protect them as he whined, "Look boy, I did it for you. The government came to me and said they would clean up our records if I showed their agent a few tricks. Really, Kumon already knew a bit I just showed him the thief's cloak and a few things. Its no big deal."

"Ryu Kumon? You taught him… wait what few things," a shocked Ranma demanded as he glared at the screen.

Genma blubbered on a bit randomly, "He didn't really care about the breaking point, or throwing a Ki blast, but he took to the chestnut fist real well. He needed an edge working for the government, keeping the peace. This is all a misunderstanding boy, they treated me with style too you know? Didn't just drag me off and slap a hood over my head, I got put up at that fancy hotel in New York the Walruss. Ate the best Italian I have ever had while training Kumon at Antoeneeoes. You really missed out bo.."

Ranma, annoyed and having heard enough from his father to get an idea where to start looking walked out, followed by Bridge who stepped in front of him in the hallway, "Kid, you going to explain any of that? Breaking points, chestnut fists, thief cloaks?"

Ranma looked him in the eye and unexpectedly answered, "Ryu Kumon found one of the scrolls to some nasty techniques my dad came up with, and then he came looking for the rest of them. He challenged me and I won so he was supposed to not use them ever again. It looks like my pop gave him a few more techniques so he could be some sort of spy."

"So what can he do," Bridge asked bluntly but without the malice he had been showing Ranma beforehand.

"Throw vacuum blades that cut through stone, turn himself invisible, punch so fast his hands turn into a blur, who knows what else if he could buy training from other martial artists." Ranma spoke with an eerie calm to him and the room seemed to chill a little to Bridge.

The Shield Commander looked the young man over as he thought through the possibilities, before finally speaking, "We have a place to start looking, there are a couple Antonio's in New York, but only one that has mafia ties near the Waldorf-Astoria. This invisibility technique, is there any way around it?"

Ranma nodded his head after thinking a moment and explained, "Yeah, at least the way Kumon knows how to do it, there's a void in the natural Ki where he will be standing."

" So how would we detect that, let me guess, not us, but you huh," asked Bridge, not sounding too happy having to consider it at all.

"Well I can go in there with my improved version and at least spot him and maybe even find Desiree," Ranma stated simply.

G.W. Bridge walked off abruptly only saying as he left, "You'll go wired so we can keep in contact with you and I expect you to follow orders."

Grinning just a bit Ranma felt some of his confidence return to him, they were close and all he had to do was walk into a restaurant, and it would be over."

Sabertooth detached himself from the wall and abruptly spoke to Ranma before he could follow Bridge, "Kid, your father was putting on a good show, but if you're remembering how we met, then you know he's got more spine then he usually shows. You take this lesson to heart, don't let your guard down for anyone, especially me."

"I'll remember it Mister Crreeed," He promised as they walked after Bridge.

**19:00 - New York City, near Antonio's Fine Italian Restaurant**

Ranma stepped out of an unmarked car several blocks away from Antonio's. They had fit him with a two-way system using a subvocal mike so he wouldn't need to give himself away calling for the agents to make entry. They had also fitted him with a tracking device and a one-way wire, to better listen in. Ranma grinned for a moment as he remembered the look on Bridge's face when he asked for a black Kevlar cape. The man had near blown a gasket about this not being some super hero game until Ranma explained how he could use it to do a few counter techniques against Kumon and if worse came to worse shield Desiree. Bridge's only response then had been, "Bout damn time someone had a good use for the silly things."

Calming himself and submerging his emotions as well as cooling his own body to ambient room temperature with the soul of Ice, Ranma entered the restaurant as a couple were leaving. It would only be about an hour before it closed, but Antonio's was practically empty anyways. He still surveyed the entire public area of the restaurant, patiently, taking more minutes then he ever would want to, before sending a near silent message through his subvocal mike, "Front area clear, checking the kitchens." In response he heard G.W.'s voice speak in low tones for the first time ever to him, "Just keep it going slow."

The kitchens proved to still be busy, chefs making a rather large meal, which no one had ordered up front. There was a rush to their work as well, nervousness that even without his minor telepathy he could see. One man in particular, the Maitre D' was sitting in a chair seemed nervous and glanced now and again at a door to the side, one according to the blue prints for the building lead to a bulk dry goods storage. This was the most likely place to check since, this storage area took up a good deal more floor space then it should. Getting in would have been a challenge but the Maitre D' was so worried it took only the slightest suggestion in his mind that he had forgot something and he was out of his chair, unlocking the door on the kitchen side and knocking.

A heavy bolt on the other side could be heard being moved out of the way and a thug easily half a foot taller then the worried Maitre D' and as wide as two of him opened the door wide. In a gruff voice he asked lowly, "Pauley.. so where's the food?" Pauley straightened his apron and stammered, "I j-j-just wanted to make s-sure you didn't want anything else before we were done, some wine maybe?" The thug patted Pauley on the shoulder heavily and seemed to be less tense, "Look, we're working here, thanks for thinking of us but just bottled water, unopened. Boss is a bit twitchy past couple of days."

As the large thug stepped back Ranma slipped in through the door between them and hurried along finding himself in a hallway as the thug bolted the door shut. Staring at the large man and the doorway he was not sure exactly how he was going to get past him into the next room until as the man opened it he was struck with an inspiration. The thug tried to take a step and his foot caught, he then noticed his shoelace had come undone and he was stepping on it with his other foot. As he bent down to retie his shoelace, Ranma leapt over him and into the storage area.

A group of guards were playing poker at a table to the corner, but in a chair on the far side of the room was Desiree. She was tied down and her clothes disheveled. In his excitement Overcome for a moment with excitement, Ranma almost rushed over to her, but then stopped noticing the odd pads on the floor of that side of the room. Eyes widening, he began to click his mike on and off repeatedly to signal the Shield agents of an emergency.

A familiar voice came over an intercom speaker suddenly, "No need for that Ranma, I was so hoping I could find some way to spot you, but your technique is flawless., Good thing Shield put a tracking device on you. I should have let you work out a way around the pressure plates surrounding her first, but I got a little too carried away."

'Ranma?" Desiree cried out.

Ryu Kumon answered for Ranma over the speaker, "Yes, he came here to save you, such a hero…" Ranma leapt forward trying to cover the distance between him and Desiree even Kumon was speaking, but a vacuum blade erupted through the roof and then into his friend just before he reached her. As Ranma held her, he watched the light in Desiree's eyes fade.

"I warned her father about talking, now he pays the price for trusting in Shield and in you. Good bye, Ranma." Kumon spoke the last with a bit of flippancy and then the thugs just standing with guns drawn, not sure whether to shoot or run were meaningless as everything went white. Sabertooth and G.W. Bridge were leading a mass of agents into Antonio's, when the explosion went off, throwing them back into the storefront across the street.

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**Notes:** It has been a long while since I last posted, but I was having trouble deciding just how I wanted to this entire chapter… which actually has turned into more then one chapter. I am hoping to post the next part soon.


	20. Chapter 16: Venomous Strike!

**Disclaimer**

This work of fiction is based on the ideas and concepts from Ranma ½, Marvel Comics and derivatives thereof, which are being borrowed by the author with no intention towards profit or copyright infringement. In addition, any and all references to real life people or events that may occur in this work are merely parody and not meant to be any form of slander.

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**Chapter 16: Venomous Strike!**

The Manhattan nightscape was lit up by the unexpected flash of explosion, something that happened so quickly a person could blink and miss it. Stories would abound about the second beamlike flash that soared up into the sky a moment after for days to come. Antonio's was gone as well as the walls of the buildings next to it, only piles of rubble, falling debris and smoke remained. Sabertooth, first on his feet had darted into wreckage, while the other agents and their commander, Bridge were still getting their senses back and taking stock of wounds.

His senses dulled by the explosion, Creed was surprised when from the smoke, the body of a young woman was pushed into his arms. He accepted the burden instantly, comprehension of what was before him coming at the same moment. Ranma stood with bent knees, his clothes a shamble, a sticky substance partially burned hanging off one forearm, the edge of his cape torn away. Sabertooth knew the look in the young man's eyes; he could see the intent even beyond the unearthly glow they now held. They did not stay focused on the feral agent for long though, and following their quick turn to stare at nothing on the roof two buildings away, Ranma was midair, leaping towards his enemy.

The chase was furious, city blocks worth of buildings being passed. It was not long before Ryu Kumon could not keep himself unseen, not having the concentration to spare for it. Desperately he cut the supports of a water tower intending to distract his pursuer with its fall into the city streets, only to find that the possessed youth was hardly slowed down somehow. His next attempt at throwing off his pursuer, a large vacuum blade, aimed at the street below was also ineffective. Mastering the panic that threatened to overcome him, he closed off his emotions and picked out a rooftop, he had a few tricks left to surprise his enraged enemy.

Landing on the rooftop Kumon waited until his enemy was just about to land before unleashing a large vacuum blade. His pigtailed pursuer managed to evade it midair by curling his body into a ball and rolling to the side before landing in a crouch. Kumon wasted no time using a modification of the chestnut fist to create many vacuum blades sending them at Ranma in a cone of accurately placed death. The blades cut so close to Ranma as he dodged that his clothing developed tears as Kumon waited for his surprise to take effect. Turning suddenly, Ranma deflected the large vacuum blade from earlier that had eventually turned itself back towards the fight.

Ryu Kumon failed to see how his surprise attack was stopped but knew it would not matter as he threw another volley of vacuum blades at his enemy, who was close enough now for his glowing red eyes to be seen. The blades only slowed Ranma's progress to his enemy, halting him for a moment, while each Volley was taking its toll on Kumon, wearing him down quickly. With yet one last volley of vacuum blades the trap was complete and Ranma was surrounded, the errant blades from before all having been angled to slowly curve around and strike at the position he had been herded into. Kumon had designed this technique so that even a dwarf like Happosai would be unable to slip through the all-encompassing barrier vacuum blades as they fell upon their victim.

Yet somehow, Ranma escaped even this perfect trap. Everything was perfectly set for the trap, and even if he caught one side of the attacks vacuum blades with the cloth defense technique of the Umisenken, he would be open from the other sides. Instead, there was a fizzing sound before the blades obscured their target, then everything had vanished and Ranma was a few feet closer to Kumon stalking predatorily. As they met, Kumon fell back and to the side of Ranma's furious strikes, putting everything he had into deflecting the attacks of his enemy while giving Ranma a happy smile the entire time. Ranma followed Kumon unerringly into a closing spiral.

At the very last moment, Kumon readied his strike. Just as he predicted, his enemy did not take the final step completing the spiral, but Ranma's pause in motion was also an opening and so Ryu struck out with his hand like a venomous snake aiming for his enemy's heart, pushing a vacuum blade at the end of his fingertips. Eyes now widened in shock, Ranma reacted in the split second of timing both hands rising to catch Kumon's strike, one at the front and one at the wrist.

They stood there a moment staring into each other's eyes and then Ryu's smile faltered, his vacuum blade caught against a set of energy claws springing from Ranma's hand. Stumbling back several paces, He stared at the stump of his right arm and the lost hand severed by Ranma's other set of claws. Something broke unraveled in Ryu, his eyes took swirled with insanity. With all of his remaining strength, he threw an intense series of large vacuum blades. The roof itself was being torn up by the edges of the blades.

Before the blades had even started from his hands, Kumon witnessed a now dreadfully calmed Ranma toss a goopy looking bag at the maelstrom of Vacuum blades. When the bag collided, it was torn open easily, and all of the vacuum blades from his last attack spewed out. Planes of Vacuum were turned in all directions, some annihilated others, some were split and became miniature explosions of slivers of vacuum. The same fizzing sound could be heard from Ranma as he created a sheet of webbing to reflect whatever cam in his direction back towards Kumon. It was over in seconds, the sheet of webbing falling down to reveal Ranma Saotome, slowly reloading his pilfered webshooter with another cartridge. It was perhaps the last image that Ryu's now lifeless eyes had seen before he tumbled over the edge of the building in pieces.

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**Monday Evening**

Xavier's School for the Gifted had been an unsettled place since the visit from S.H.I.E.L.D. and its newest Agent. Some of the students may have thought Professor Xavier was keeping the details regarding his grandson quiet, but the faculty knew that even with his exceptional contacts all information regarding Ranma and his supposed involvement in an abduction was being kept confidential. Charles did the only thing he could at this time and joined the rest of the house in watching the news for the night. The focus of the broadcast was on a mysterious emergency session of the Senate that had been called mid-afternoon, rumors stated it the session concerned with the resignation given by Senator Thaddeus Washington that morning.

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**Elsewhere...**

They had questioned him extensively, but after a few hours even the stone-faced G.W. Bridge had been either unsettled or satisfied enough to release him. Creed had escorted him to his home. Panels of board had been put up on the storefront, the glass cleared away and the doors repaired, not that its owner had noticed. Sabertooth had not said a word to him, nor stayed after he had delivered the young man back to his partially repaired home. Distantly, Ranma appreciated that. There was after all nothing to be done really, he had failed his friend.

Her death was avenged and now he would have to get up tomorrow and go on with his life, with the image of her death forever etched clearly in his memories as if it was just happening. His arms reached out even as he on the bed of his room, as if he could reach out a second faster and save her. Those hands were caught by feminine counterparts and for a moment Ranma believed he had somehow caught her. Staring into the yellow eyes of the blue skinned woman in front of him brought Ranma back to the moment. Mystique embraced the grief dazed young man, gently pushing them both onto the bed.

**Several hours later**

Mystique ran her fingers through Ranma's hair lightly as she stood over him, before leaving behind a sealed envelop on his nightstand. She slipped out through the still broken roof hatch and moved several buildings over before taking out her encrypted satellite phone and making a call. The first words she spoke were terse and simple, "Our contract has been completed."

She listened for a moment before replying to her employer, "Yes, I took advantage of the situation as you suggested. I believe it did him some good."

"I have no interest in continuing the contract, find someone else to control him."

"That _is_ my final word, goodbye."

She shut off her phone and glared at it, mumbling, "disgusting pig." Holding that pose for several minutes, she had the look of someone dreaming of several forms of torture for her employer before turning herself into a raven and flying away.

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**Televised Statement**

The Vice President of the United States had been called in for the special session of the Senate and was chosen to give a statement to the press with regards to it. He stood somberly, addressing the reporters with a grim tone, "Today, Senator Thaddeus Washington came forth and revealed his culpability in trying to pressure other senators to vote against the creation of a Mutant Powers Act. Legislation meant to offer aide to mutant citizens of the United States as well as register them to better ensure the safety of normal people."

The Vice president paused as the reporters erupted into a storm of questions only to die down as he clearly meant to continue speaking, "Former Senator Washington did this to protect his daughter who had been abducted from her college dormitory in Atlanta by at least one empowered terrorist. During an operation by government agencies to free her, who did not know about the blackmail at the time, she sadly, lost her life. The Senate in recognition of this tragedy has decided to quickly pass the Mutant Powers Act in order to safeguard against any other acts of coercion. The Senate as well as the President also have declared Former Senator Washington pardoned of his involvement with attempts at coercion in recognition of the untenable position he had been placed in… I will take your questions now."

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**Letter**

Ranma,

I do not need to tell you that this world is filled with terrible things, and that even the best man cannot stop them all from happening. What I will tell you; is that in a world so darkened over that everything takes on shades of gray, people who can bring their own light and let others see the beautiful colors of the world again are needed. Remain one of those people who bring light to the world Ranma and avoid people like me who seem to only make things worse. That is why I am leaving you now, before I can make things worse.

Raven

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****Notes:** The drawbacks to a perfect memory should be very much clear now I think. This is sort of how I thought it was a fair trade off for his curse, which lent him advantages and disadvantages also.


End file.
